On a Wing and a Prayer
by Della Ithilien
Summary: After a life-altering tragedy at a young age, Link wants nothing more than to get from one day to the next in peace. But one girl is determined to be his friend, whether he wants her to or not. Over the years, Link and Zelda continue to be drawn to the other as fate keeps bringing them together as they navigate through their lives. Pre-Skyward Sword. Slowburn Zelink as they age.
1. Prologue

_A/N: Hey, hey, hey! Here's just a bit of background for how this fic differs from the Skyward game. For the sake of this story, things are bigger. So, the Sky is bigger, the Academy is bigger (there aren't just 5 or 6 students and dorm rooms), and there are more people on Skyloft._

_It was hard to figure things in a totally linear story, so this is going to be done in moments of time leading up to the game events. So, this first chapter is a moment from when Link was 7 and the next chapter or two will be him when he's 10, then he'll be 11 for a chapter or two, etc. I figured that's probably the best way to not get stuck in a long stretch of time where people are doing nothing because they're limited to Skyloft and the Sky. I have a feeling that, as they get older, I'll keep them at that age for more chapters because I'm just not as familiar with writing tweens. That said, I have no idea what a 7 year old sounds like, so please excuse the possibly inaccurate age portrayal of a 7 year old in this prologue. _

_But anyway, on to the normal stuff. Rated T for violence. Can't see it being that bad, but I'd rather cover myself early just in case. This chapter is shorter than my average chapter size, but it's a prologue. And once upon a time, I was able to post once a week. I don't think I can keep that schedule up at this point, but I'm guessing I'll post a new chapter every two weeks? I have the first few done now, but after that, it'll probably be two weeks between posts. _

_I think that's all I've got to say! Let me know what you think in the comments (cough cough hint hint)!_

* * *

**Prologue (Age 7)**

It was unnaturally warm for a day in Skyloft. Villagers went home early from their daily tasks, only staying until the uncovered rays of the sun forced them to retreat. Knights patrolled the sky with vigor, relying on the rush of wind in their faces to keep them cool. Of course, the children didn't care. They played in the water, splashing around until the droplets formed a rainbow.

There was a knock on the door, soft at first, and then firm. All alone, a young boy, no more than seven, stared at the wood that kept him safe. He'd always been told not to open the door, not for anyone unless his mother was with him. But the banging became insistent and never-ending. Finally, he trudged over and opened it a crack.

A tall man, large and intimidating, bent down in front of him.

"Link, is it?"

Link nodded, though all he wanted was to close the door on this man's face. He wasn't supposed to open the door.

Or was that only at night?

"Do you know who I am?"

Link shook his head. He looked familiar, but he didn't know him. It wasn't as if Link was the most sociable child anyway.

"My name is Gaepora. I'm one of the instructors at the Knight's Academy. Do you know, I have a daughter about your age? Her name is Zelda. Do you want to come meet her?"

Link stood in the doorway for some time before shaking his head no. "Momma said wait here."

Gaepora sighed and held out his hand for Link to take, but he didn't. He folded his hand under his arm and tried to put on his kindest face. "Link… you have to come with me. Your mother… something happened to her and… she can't come home. Link… she passed on."

Link's face scrunched up as he listened. Gaepora watched him carefully, waiting for him to cry, to scream, to fight, anything. But Link scratched his head. "She's hurt?"

"She got hurt, yes. She… she won't be coming back home because of it."

Link turned around and looked at their beds before turning back to Gaepora. "My mom doesn't like when I answer the door. I want to go play." He immediately shut the door in Gaepora's face with a thud.

Gaepora turned the handle before Link could lock the door again. "No, Link, wait. You… wait!"

Link was already on the ground, playing with a wooden Loftwing, waving it through the sky with a whooshing noise.

Kneeling down on one knee, he gently took Link's little hand in his. "You'd think I'd be better at this. I had to tell my own daughter the same thing. But it never gets easy. Link… your mother is… gone. You have to come with me to the academy. I have a room where you can stay, but you can't stay here by yourself."

"I don't want to go," Link said warily. "I want to wait here for my mom."

Gaepora sighed heavily and let himself fall to the ground beside Link. "This is difficult to understand, I know… but you can't stay here. She won't be back. She's… she died, Link."

Link's wide eyes narrowed into angry slits and he threw the Loftwing against the wall. A small piece of the tail broke off and flew across the floor. "I want to see her. I want to see her!"

"You can't see her, son, she's gone."

"I'm not your son!" Link yelled as he ran out the door.

He skidded to a halt as he took in his surroundings. Most of the Academy staff stood around, watching him with sad looks in their eyes. And in that moment, he realized the truth… she wasn't coming home.

* * *

There was a knock on the door. Ever since that day, nearly a week ago, Link dreaded the sound of knocking. Yet everyday, someone was banging their fists on his door. It was worse than the sound of a raspy voice that was in the middle of a painful cold. Worse than the sound he'd been hearing of chalk scraping against the board in the room the knights were studying in.

"Link? Are you awake?" Gaepora called through the wood. "It's a beautiful day, and I think you should get out of your room."

Link sighed, knowing that he wouldn't stop until he'd acknowledged his presence. He opened the door and went to sit back down on the bed where he continued to silently play with his Loftwing.

"Link, come. Let's find something fun to do."

Link sat there, trying his best to ignore the instructor. But his presence was domineering, and his wide eyes bored into Link with ease.

Sighing, Link slid into his boots. He'd already changed his clothes, a habit he'd picked up on at home. Wherever that was nowadays.

Begrudgingly, he grabbed his Loftwing and followed the instructor outside into the courtyard.

"I have classes to teach today, Link, but I'll come back in a bit to check on you. Try to enjoy the air, and stay away from the edges of Skyloft."

Link heard the door close behind him, though he refused to look back. Gaepora was nice, but Link only wanted one person. And she was never coming back.

It only took a few minutes for Link to find himself wandering away from the Academy and down the steps into the rest of the village. His feet took him to his home, locked though it was, it was a comfort to sit on the steps of a familiar doorway, and he swung his Loftwing though the sky, like nothing had ever happened.

But a shadow passed over his face, and suddenly, a young girl was standing in front of him. "My name is Zelda. My dad is Instructor Gaepora. He told me you're living at the academy now, but I haven't seen you until now. Where have you been?"

Link just stared at her, unsure how to answer. He couldn't find the words _to_ answer. He couldn't find words at all these days.

Zelda looked around and crossed her arms. "I live at the academy, too. I know how much more fun it is to play out here, but my dad won't like you leaving the Academy without telling him first. You're new, but he's very protective."

Again, Link stared at her, speechless. Instead, he bent down and grabbed his wooden Loftwing from the grass.

He could feel his breathing speed up and his breath hitched. Staring at the bird, his vision turned crimson, and the bird with it. His muscles twitched and he didn't realize they'd begun to work on their own. He wasn't in control. He never could be.

Gathering all his strength, he threw the Loftwing across the sky, letting it land anywhere but in his hands. He couldn't see that _thing_. That _thing _that killed his mother. She was gone forever because of a bird.

"Whoa!" Zelda said, backing away as he threw.

Link slammed his head back against the door and felt tears stream down his face. He tried not to sob out loud, but the muscles in his face betrayed him.

Hesitantly, Zelda sat down beside him. "I lost my mom, too. Not the same way, but she died when I was a baby."

Link glared at her through blurred eyes.

Zelda didn't flinch. "Well, I'm here if you want someone to play with. I like tag a lot. Come find me anytime, and let my dad know you're okay or he'll stay worried."

She got up and all but skipped away. He watched her go, unable to speak, and certainly not able to mutter 'thank you.'


	2. Never Enough Time

**Chapter 1 (Age 10)**

"_Hey," he'd heard someone say. It was a young voice, someone about his age. Link looked up and saw a boy with dark blue hair standing over him. "You're the kid with the dead mom."_

_Link's fists tightened, but he didn't move. His mom always told him not to pick a fight with anyone or Knights like her would come and break them up. _

"_I'm talking to you!" the kid said again, only this time, he pushed Link on the shoulder. "Don't you speak? Your mom died, right? She's the one who fell."_

_Link's eyes shot up. _

"_What? You didn't know? How stupid can you be? You don't even know how your dead mom died? What are you, a baby? They don't tell you anything? Are you weak like her? She fell off a Loftwing. What kind of Knight falls off a Loftwing?"_

_Blood was pumping in Link's ears. His hands shook as he struggled to keep it all in, but this kid's voice… his stupid smug look…_

"_Answer me already, Stupid! That's what I'm going to call you from now on. 'Stupid!' You know that stupidness runs in the family?"_

Link woke up in a cold sweat. He hated having that dream. Mostly because it had once been real. Three years wasn't enough time to process the loss of his mom. The constant fear had become such a norm for him that he no longer remembered what life had been without it. This dream happened almost every time he knew he'd have to spend time with Cawlin and Strich away from others. And there was supposed to be a field trip. That dream came along with any days he might need to ride a Loftwing as well. That was something he would never do, so long as he lived. No. No Loftwings.

He put his head in his hands, trying to shake off the dream, but it only came back stronger as a memory rather than a dream.

_He felt his body lurch forward until he was distracted by a small voice. "Hey!" Small hands were pulling him backwards, away from the blue-haired boy. The small blond girl turned her attention to the boy. "Stop it!" _

_He looked over the small girl in his path. Instructor Gaepora's daughter, Zelda. Blonde haired and blue eyed with a determined look in her eyes. She had to be his age, maybe even younger. He hadn't taken her up on her offer to play, but he'd seen her with others. She was the only one who'd approached him since moving into the Academy. Everyone else had kept their distance from 'that silent boy.' _

He'd never forgotten the overwhelming urge to fight Cawlin that day, and it didn't matter how long ago it had been. It was still almost a daily occurrence that he had to deal with Cawlin and his equally annoying henchman Strich every day.

And until now, he'd managed fairly well. He had some friends… sort of. He was friends with the chatterbox… with Zelda. O, at least, he thought they were friends. And he was around her friends a lot, though they tended to ignore him more than anything. Only Zelda ever truly made the effort to communicate with him, though. With the others, they might ask him something and then forget that he didn't talk. That was fine for a game like tag where no one needed to say a word, but not for many other games. Only Zelda would make sure to ask questions he could answer. Yes and no, or things he could point to. She made an effort, and he made one with her. He tried to satisfy her curiosity, but he felt like a disappointment. He could see it in her eyes sometimes. And that's when he would slip away again, hiding in his room for days at a time.

This was one of those times.

He knew that everyone would try to convince him to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin. Anytime they went, he knew he was disappointing Instructor Gaepora. He disappointed Zelda. He disappointed himself.

He wanted nothing more than to shock everyone and get on the Loftwing, then scream into the air. But life wasn't that easy.

Then there was a knock at his door. Link sighed, ready to hear it again. He went to the door, determined to open it, but his hand wouldn't turn the knob.

"Link, please," Gaepora pleaded through the closed door. "Everyone is going. You should come as well. I know you don't like it, but you have to try. You're ten. You need to ride a Loftwing someday."

Link placed his head against the door with his eyes closed and let out a deep breath.

For years, Gaepora tried to get Link to participate in anything. He rarely went to class, taking his books into his room instead. He never spoke. Gaepora was concerned for the boy, but there was almost nothing left that he could try.

The boy had to see him as a bad guy, he thought. The only real interactions he had with him were when he was begging him to join the other kids, or pulling him away from Cawlin and Strich, two boys who couldn't seem to keep their mouths from running in his presence. And no amount of discipline seemed to stop them.

Gaepora rested his hand against Link's door for a moment before giving up and going back up to his room to prepare for the trip.

Link stood still, listening to the sounds of footsteps all around him. It was a trip only for the kids of Skyloft, so the knights-in-training in the surrounding rooms didn't seem to be too busy. Only a few were taking the group over to the nearby tavern in the clouds. But the floor upstairs, where Gaepora and the other professors were coordinating, was like a crazed stampede. Link wondered if it was Zelda making all that noise in the room directly above him.

Figuring he could use the distraction to sneak out, Link stood and pulled his boots on before cracking the door and peering out. It seemed clear. If anyone was there, it would only be the chef, and he rarely had a difficult time sneaking by her.

He closed his door silently, and snuck past the door, but he was met by a more annoying sight than the chef.

Cawlin and Strich were sitting on the floor, waiting for Gaepora, presumably.

Instinctively, Link started to back up, knowing that when both of them were together, things usually escalated quickly.

Cawlin looked Link over. "You're not coming with us, are you?"

Link didn't say anything, but his fist clenched at the other boy's tone.

"Oh, Strich, he isn't! He's scared! Little Link is afraid of the Loftwing again. Like his mom should have been. Hey, Link, how's it feel to be orphaned by a bird? I mean, a stupid bird? That's all it took for your mom to go down? And I thought she was a knight."

It took everything, _everything¸_ in him not to rear his fist back and slam it into Cawlin's jaw, but Link clenched and unclenched his fist in an attempt to shake the comments. He let his nails dig into his palm, momentarily distracting him just long enough to keep his mind from the words. It was the only thing he'd found that kept him from fighting. And oh, he wanted to fight.

"What?" Strich asked with a snicker. "Can you not hear Cawlin? Forget a stupid bird, your stupid mom raised a stupid kid."

And with that, Link broke. He lunged for Cawlin, who was closer, and landed one quick jab to the side before Strich was on him. The two boys wasted little time trying to restrain Link so they could get a few easier hits in, but Link rarely went down without a fight.

He whipped his head back, bracing himself for the pain. And it hurt when he heard the impact with Strich. Strich's hands loosened their grip and Link swiveled out of his grasp, pushing Cawlin away so he could have some room. But they were on him again, recovering all-too-quickly. Link realized he had missed hitting Strich anywhere too painful.

He felt a hard pang in his gut and his arms were pulled back until he felt like they were going to be pulled out. He didn't cry out, but he kicked out at Cawlin, connecting with his shin. Cawlin howled and kicked right back in an enraged retaliation.

"Link!"

Link barely heard the voice. Everything was whooshing in his head as his body tried to ignore the pain every hit from Cawlin brought. He felt Strich jerk to the side, and he let go of Link for a moment to react to the voice.

Link was out of energy, unable to break free of Strich's single handed grip.

"Get off him!" the voice said again.

But this time, Link recognized it.

He turned his head toward the voice and his eyes spotted Zelda pulling Strich's hand back as hard as she could.

"This doesn't concern you, Zelda!" Cawlin panted pushing Zelda away hard enough to knock her over before punching Link again.

Black tinged the edges of Link's vision as his body slowly decided to give up and go down, though his mind tried to get him to his feet.

Zelda was back up, calling for Link as she tried to stop Cawlin once again.

A small part of Link's brain was still conscious, and he could see what was about to happen. And that's all Link's body needed to spur him to act.

Link pulled free of Strich and pushed himself up, moving between Cawlin and Zelda as he attempted to push her away. Cawlin had only reacted. She was trying to stop him from his mad flurry against the stupid loser Link. If he'd been in control of himself, of course he wouldn't have swung at Zelda. That's what he told himself.

But Zelda hadn't been the one to take the punch.

Link had put himself between them just in time to feel Cawlin's fist connect with his spine, sending him forward into Zelda. She'd tried to catch him, but she was off balance from Link moving her aside.

That was the end. The rest of Link's body gave out, and his feet stumbled over each other, collapsing into a hard ball on the ground.

Zelda's wide eyes met Cawlin's. He looked equally horrified, realizing what might have happened to her, as well as what he'd actually done. And if Gaepora's daughter had been knocked unconscious in a hallway fight, Cawlin would never see the light of day again. He'd never be a knight. At this rate, he wasn't sure he still had that chance now.

Strich grabbed Cawlin and took off through the door with him in tow, leaving Zelda in the hallway with the unconscious boy.

She looked at the stairs where her father and the other instructors were already racing towards them. The boy she played with but hardly knew, the one who never spoke, had put himself in more danger for her. And what's more, she realized, was that she did the same for him.

She took a step back, letting the adults take over. Her father was holding her, asking her something, but she couldn't hear. Her mind raced, terrified at the overwhelming instinct she'd felt to step into a fist fight for this boy.

"Zelda!" she finally heard Gaepora say, looking away from Link and at her father. "What happened here?"

She knew Link was the one who swung first. She'd been in the other room with a book on the desk, having already packed for their trip. Cawlin and Strich never knew how to filter themselves. It wasn't Link's fault. He couldn't control that his mother died, or that two bullies were constantly reminding him of that fact. He could only control when he swung. But Zelda? She could control everything. He protected her. It was her turn to return the favor.

"I saw it all. Link came out of his room and came this way. It looked like he was going to go to the kitchen." She thought quickly, desperate to keep Link out of trouble. "Cawlin and Strich were there and started making fun of him for not coming with us today. They made fun of him, that he was afraid of flying and that his mother was stupid. Then, when he didn't respond, they started to hurt him. He fought back. I tried to stop it when they were hurting him more, but Link tried to protect me before he got hit. I promise, I saw it."

She glanced at Link, who was being looked at by Instructor Horwell. There was some blood on the ground, and the events started to catch up to her. She could feel tears stinging her eyes, panicked breaths catching in her throat. She looked at her father with wide fearful eyes. Goddess, she'd nearly been hit in a hallway!

She was sure that Gaepora was crying as he hugged her tightly against him. "Zelda, love, don't ever get in the middle of a fight. You could have been hurt if it had been worse. Someone might have accidently hit you."

"But Link—"

"Not now. Rest assured, Cawlin and Strich will be punished, but Link will be disciplined too. No potential Knight can display this behavior."

"He was defending himself! And me!"

Gaepora sighed and hugged Zelda tightly. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"But the Knights fight."

"No, they train together. The Knights don't fight each other in hallways. Go back to your room, Zelda. We won't be going to the Lumpy Pumpkin today."

Zelda watched her father say something to Instructor Owlan before leaving the Academy. Horwell scooped Link's small body up in his arms and disappeared behind the walls, leaving Zelda alone in the entryway.

* * *

_A/N: I already had this one written, but from here on, the chapters should be a bit longer, especially as people start getting into the same social circles. _


	3. The Smallest Steps

**Chapter 2 (Age 10)**

Link sat outside underneath a tall, shady tree. He'd been spending as much time as he could outside the Academy walls, hoping that he could find places to hide himself in. He wasn't afraid of Cawlin and Strich, not really. Of course, he didn't like the abuse that usually followed them, verbal or physical, but it was something he'd learned to live with. No, he wanted to hide from Gaepora and the other instructors. He wanted to hide from the ones who tried to help, to be there. He didn't want help. Not from them.

He could do this. He could be in this world on his own. He didn't need Instructors to protect him or to keep him safe. All he had to do was to get through life, become a Knight, and fly far from Skyloft. He'd find a new home on the edge of the Sky. Or maybe he'd find the home of the Goddess and live forever with her and the heroes she saved.

But for now, from where he sat, all he could see was the lake that flowed off the island, the forbidden cave, and the several stone platforms he sometimes liked to swing his feet off of and feel the rush of the water hit his legs.

He could also see Zelda, sitting on one of the Loftwing platforms with a small pad in her hand, drawing carefully.

In many ways, Link wished he could go over to her and say something. He'd heard her version of the story when he woke up and was questioned several times.

"Link? Did you hit Cawlin first, or did he hit you? We have someone who saw everything, so don't lie. Did you hit Cawlin?"

But Link hadn't answered, he just closed his eyes and accepted the punishment that came with his refusal to answer.

And in the silent hours that followed, he heard a small rap on his door. Expecting Gaepora again, Link didn't answer. So he was surprised by the voice he heard.

"Link? It's Zelda. I told them Cawlin hit you first. Tell them that, or you'll get in a lot of trouble, okay?"

She hadn't stayed, and he heard her rush up the steps a moment later.

Now, Gaepora could only think to punish Link by forcing him from his room rather than keeping him inside. Link enjoyed the solitude of his room far too much for it to be a punishment. Link wasn't outside by choice, but the change of pace had been refreshing. And Link found enjoyment in tearing blades of grass into tiny shreds then watching them blow away in the wind.

He glanced over at Zelda as the fragments of grass drifted in her direction. There was something about the girl that he couldn't shake. She was braver than he gave her credit for, and far more defiant than she looked. She broke rules… for him. For the random boy who played tag with her and he friends but who never spoke. What had he done to deserve her loyalty? But instinctively, he knew he'd do the same for her. It was as if they'd known each other forever. He felt like an old man at times; he felt he'd known her for that long.

But he hadn't. It had been three years. Three years and he didn't even know before today if she was right or left-handed. Right, he noted as she drew slowly. He looked away and put his fingers in the grass, his pointer finger facing down. In his mind, he didn't see a finger, but a knight. A one-legged knight who fought a heard of monsters. And as he defeated more, he gained strength. Link put his middle finger down. The knight had been gifted his second leg for his bravery by the Goddess herself. The knight slew more monsters, and he gained a third leg, able to maneuver even more artfully. A fourth. The Goddess' gift to the knight. But he still fought. And upon gaining his fifth limb, Link's thumb, the knight had become the monsters he'd fought against. He now had to fend off a knight (Link's other hand) who was seeking his own glory.

With a sigh, Link looked up and saw that Zelda's hand had stilled and her head lolled over, eyes closed and a content look on her face. He looked behind him, towards the Goddess Statue. There were a few other kids playing together, though he could only recognize Karane from where he sat. She was paying no attention to him.

With a final look at both girls, and, content in the knowledge that no one was watching him, he stood up and began punching the air. One fist, then the other. With each punch, a foot came out, a force to help him strike harder. He closed his eyes, trying to picture the way the Knights looked out in the training yard. He'd been watching them, trying to emulate them as they trained.

He looked around again. Zelda was still asleep, and the nearest others were nowhere near him.

Turning to face the stone wall behind him, he looked between it and his fists. If he punched the wall, he thought, maybe he could build up his knuckles. If he could take the pain of that, then he'd start to be stronger. He wouldn't have to worry about Cawlin or Strich.

Winding back, he braced himself, prepared to feel the sharp stinging that would later burn. He knew what it would feel like, but he didn't welcome the thought.

But he was stopped by a scream.

It sounded distant in his ears, like the playful screams from Karane and her friends, but as he listened, it wasn't playful at all. It was panic.

His head turned to where Zelda had been, but she was nowhere. He looked around frantically, but there was nothing. The scream rang out again, only this time, he knew where it came from.

Rushing over to where Zelda had been, Link skidded onto his knees and crawled to the edge. Zelda was hanging on to the cracked stone, her little fingers latched into the crack as her only grip. And her fingers were white as she held on with everything she had.

Link grabbed her wrist quickly and tried to pull her, but he wasn't strong enough. Looking to his left, he saw a rope attached to the pole, the rope that blocked the Loftwing station at night. Grabbing that, he was prepared to wrap it around her, to help pull her up without using her wrist, but she let out another yell, and suddenly, he knew there was no time to do that.

"I can't!" she screamed, her sweaty fingers finally losing their grip.

And without a second thought, before he could even realize what was happening to her, Link found himself wrapping the rope around his wrist and jumping.

Link let out a pained cry as the weight of a body pulled him down. It would have shocked him, the sound of his own scream, if he hadn't literally been hanging on to Zelda for dear life.

He closed his eyes as he screamed. His hold on her wrist wasn't the best grip ever. Zelda reached up with all her strength and grabbed his wrist with her other hand. Their combined cries of terror mixed into the air, alerting the village.

It seemed like hours that they hung there, though rationally, Link knew it had only been seconds until he felt hands wrap around him from above, and heard the whooshing sound of wings below them, in case they should fall. He knew it would be okay to let go now. Zelda would fall into the Knight's arms. But he couldn't.

The villagers pulled him and the rope until they could grab on to both children. Link was surprised that he kept his hold on her hand, but he did until he felt the ground beneath him, and saw her safely beside him.

He was breathing heavily, his heart racing, both out of panic and adrenaline. A large part of him wanted to throw up.

Adults bombarded him with questions, fussing over him and Zelda frantically. He felt himself swept off his feet and carried to the Academy, Zelda in another's arms.

As they hurried over, Link was in a trance. Something inside him had snapped. This girl… he'd do anything he could to save her. It was as if he'd done it a thousand times and yet never before all at once. He needed to save her, no matter what the cost to himself was. He'd thrown himself off of a cliff to catch her. He'd nearly died for her.

Well, he felt like he'd nearly died. The Knights had been slow to get to them. Or… it felt slow.

A cold sensation hit him in a rush, and he came back to his senses with Instructor Horwell hovering over him.

"Ah, Link, you're awake." Horwell removed his cold hand from Link's forehead. "That was very brave, what you did. Do you think you could tell me what happened at all? You can write or draw. But it would help us know what happened."

Link's eyes widened in panic. He looked around for any sign of Zelda. Surely she would have told them what happened.

Horwell took a moment, but he seemed to guess what Link was thinking. "You both were in shock and fell unconscious. You're just the first to wake. She's fine. You did good." Horwell took Link's hand. It was bandaged. "You'll have to keep this covered for now. It's a burn from the rope. We just want to make sure there is no infection."

Link swung his feet over the edge of the bed and went to stand, though Horwell put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "You shouldn't. Just lie down."

Link pushed himself to his feet anyway, waiting out a dizzy spell before taking a step.

Horwell moved to catch Link, seeing the inherent unsteadiness. "Link, I'll help you to your room, but you're not getting out of bed today."

Link kept walking, feeling Horwell on his heels, as they made it into the hall.

Gaepora's door was open a crack, and Link stopped to peek in. He saw Zelda sitting up in bed talking to her father and let out a sigh. But as if sensing his presence, Zelda looked up and met Link's eyes.

She sprang to her feet and stumbled across the room toward him. She didn't look stable, and he went to meet her halfway. She threw her arms around Link, and he could feel her crying. His own arms felt weak, and he couldn't move them from his sides. He didn't even know where to put them. Suddenly, he found himself debating how to return a hug… something he hadn't experienced in years. His arms shook as they hovered by her sides, barely touching her.

He felt self-conscious. Was he doing it right? Did she know how awkward he was? And there was an audience. He was being watched. Were they judging him?

"Thank you," Zelda whispered, hugging Link tighter before letting go. She stepped back from him and wiped her eyes before going back to sit on her father's bed.

Horwell placed his hand on Link's shoulder. "Come on, you need rest."

And with a final check on Zelda, Link felt his body betraying him, and all he needed was some sleep.

* * *

In the days since the incident with Zelda, Link kept to his room again. He knew that as soon as he left, Cawlin and Strich would be on him. He didn't want to deal with it, much preferring the peace and isolation of his room.

So, when Gaepora once again forced him to get some fresh air, it wasn't as relaxing as it had been just days ago. He felt as if he had to stay alert, to make sure no one else would get hurt while he was around. Maybe he was the bad luck.

He looked off to a group of kids playing together, and he noticed Zelda, Karane, and Pipit playing some game that looked like tag together. There was no way he wanted to join. There was nothing about being with the others that made him feel happy or comfortable, especially not now. Not when everyone just wanted to ask questions about what had happened. Maybe they'd say something about his mom. They'd say something about him jumping for Zelda. They'd say something about him fighting.

Instead, he played with a pebble. It was smooth, soft even. There wasn't a crack on it, and it was unscathed and unmarred by any time or distress. He flung it into the air and caught it as it fell back into his hands.

He kept switching to smaller rocks until he was practically throwing a speck of sand.

"Hi," a soft voice came.

And he missed the pebble as it landed on his arm.

Link turned to see Zelda standing beside him. "Mind if I sit?"

Link didn't move to answer, so she sat, taking that as an 'okay'. She looked around at the view.

"This is actually really nice. You can see a lot from here. You can see where I fell, so I was lucky you were sitting here."

She looked at him, waiting for any sign of acknowledgement, but he couldn't give her any.

His heart was racing. He didn't even want to shrug, for fear that any little motion he made could make her hate him, or laugh at him. He didn't even know why. She'd never given him reason to believe she would.

Zelda took out a piece of parchment and some charcoal from the underside of Skyloft. "Do you draw?" she asked.

Link fought his own body. He wanted to respond. He wanted to do something, but he just couldn't.

Zelda didn't seem deterred. "Well, I was drawing the other day and it wasn't bad. I'd show you, but it fell through the clouds." She chuckled. "Dad says I can laugh if I want, but I'm still afraid to go near the edge." She sighed but handed Link the charcoal. "Here, try something next to mine."

Link looked at the paper. It had a small flower drawn neatly but clumsily on it.

"I'm still getting better. This is practicing."

Link felt the charcoal in his fingers and then looked around for inspiration. He didn't want to draw a flower: Zelda drew a flower. What if his was worse than hers? Or worse, what if it was better. He couldn't handle the embarrassment he'd feel if he made her feel bad.

To his left, he saw a pumpkin. It was simple, but not just a circle. He hadn't drawn recently, and it came out rougher than he had planned, but when he was done, he handed it back.

Zelda smiled. "You're not bad! I like it. Here," she asked, holding out her hand for the charcoal. Link gave it to her, and she began to sketch.

After some time, she scooted it between them. He smiled at the scribbled mess on the paper. It looked like nothing, and he was glad he didn't have to guess what it was.

Zelda stared at it as well and scratched her cheek. "It looked better in my head. It's supposed to be Goddess."

Link grinned and tapped her arm. She was surprised but waited. He tapped his cheek and then pointed to her.

"My cheek?"

Link nodded and then pointed to the charcoal.

Zelda sighed. "I got charcoal on my cheek. Of course. Here," she said handing him the drawing utensils. "Draw something else. I'll be back."

She stood and walked over to the lake, scrubbing her face furiously.

Link chuckled to himself before drawing.

When she sat down again and peered over his shoulder, she made a face. "You drew me?"

Link handed everything back.

"It's good. I knew it was me right away. I didn't know my nose looked like that."

She smiled at Link, and he returned it.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" she said carefully.

Link shrugged, but Zelda realized that he'd rarely communicated with anyone more than he was now.

"Can you talk, or you just don't want to?"

Link paused for a moment and then shrugged again.

Zelda stopped and realized she'd asked a question he couldn't answer. "So, you can talk?"

Link nodded, looking away.

"But you don't want to, right?"

Link looked back at her and didn't respond again. He did want to talk, but his body fought him at every turn.

Zelda pulled her legs up close to her. "Do you want to be friends with me?"

Link turned back to her and nodded. Her head bobbed absently as she was thinking.

"Well, if you're my friend then I need to ask you something. Are you afraid of the edge now, too?" She looked at him with wide eyes, begging him to answer her one way or the other.

Link looked at the clouds and nodded. As much as he never wanted to admit that to anyone, he felt that she was the only person who'd get it. The edge of Skyloft symbolized anything but adventure. It was a place where moms die, and where friends fall. It was dangerous and bad luck, like him.

He stood up, needing to walk. He had to get away from this girl before he made something else happen to her.

"Do you want to go?"

Link nodded again, closing his eyes.

Zelda didn't sound hurt or offended. "Okay. Well, I had fun. I hope we can hang out again."

He peeked his eye open to watch her leave, and let out a deep breath that he'd been holding in. It was a relief to breathe again. Things were easy with Zelda. He didn't know why, but her questions never held some underlying bitterness that he wasn't vocally answering him, like the instructors felt.

And that night, he tossed and turned in his sleep.

A woman who looked almost like a grown up Zelda stood over him, brushing her hand lightly against his cheek. But it wasn't his cheek. It was a man's… a man who looked like him, but wasn't him. Zelda's doppleganger took a seat beside him and began to talk, though the words were too garbled for him to hear. He responded, and the woman disappeared. He was left alone, looking for her. Something caught on a red scarf around his neck, and suddenly, he was falling.

* * *

Zelda woke up in a cold sweat. She could feel the ground beneath her feet disappear. She was falling off of Skyloft. The Knights were too far away to reach her, and she fell through the clouds to the mythical Surface below. Again.

She wished it were a fun dream that she was having every night. She wanted nothing more than to wake up with thoughts of the Surface that she could act out while playing outside. But this? This was a nightmare that she couldn't escape.

As it turned out, the only person she could talk to about it was Link.

He was a good listener. Even when it looked like he wasn't paying attention, he always was. She was even getting the hang of knowing when he wanted to change the topic, or to stop a conversation all together. She wasn't sure at first, but as the days turned to weeks, she felt more confident that she was right.

And she knew she was right when Link found her lying in the grass. She snapped out of her drifting thoughts and sat up.

"Hi!"

Link waved and kept walking, motioning for her to follow. Zelda watched him curiously, but following, nonetheless.

Link sat down just a few feet away from the edge of Skyloft, his eyes never leaving the platform. He swallowed hard, but he knew he had to face at least one of his fears. There was no way he could live with another crushing phobia.

Zelda stopped in her tracks and shook her head. "I can't."

Link nodded, understanding, but this was something he needed to do. He turned away from Zelda and stared out at the Sky. There were no thoughts in his head. He had to keep it that way to make it through this. He even scooted closer to the drop-off.

Suddenly, and without warning, Zelda took a seat beside him. She hugged her legs to her chest and took a deep breath.

Link turned and pointed to the nearest Knight patrolling the sky.

"That only makes me feel a little better," she admitted. "There's still the actual falling that has to happen for them to catch you."

Link rested his head in his hands as he listened to her.

"Okay I need to talk. I need to keep my mind on something. Let me see… I had that nightmare again last night. It's probably why this is so scary. All I keep thinking is that I'll hit the clouds and then fall splat on the Surface."

She looked at him and chuckled at his face. He was judging her, by his expression. With his hands, he made a motion to say that she should move on. She agreed. That was the last thing she wanted to think about here.

"Okay… okay. Point to something that's your favorite color."

She looked at Link and he was suddenly blank-faced and looked like he was sweating.

"It's fine if you can't see anything that's your favorite color. I can ask later."

With a deep breath and a hard swallow, Link turned to Zelda.

"Green."

Zelda was so startled that at first, she thought she'd been the one to speak without even realizing she had. But it was Link. She could see the effort it took, and she was determined not to make a big deal about it. Link spoke. To her.

It was so soft, though, that she'd barely heard him.

"You said green?"

He nodded.

"Why green? Any reason?"

He looked at her, confused.

"Never mind," she said quickly. "Do you want to know mine, too?"

He nodded.

She leaned closer to him with a smug look on her face. "Green."

He smiled and plucked a piece of grass from between the board. "Why green?"

Zelda grinned and crossed her legs, getting comfortable. "When my dreams were fun, I used to dream about what the Surface would be like. I always imagined it to be green and blue, so those are my favorite colors. But now… I've only had nightmares about the Surface. I wonder if that will change my favorite color?"

"It," he said, stopping her. Clearing his raw throat, he crossed his arms. "It shouldn't."

Zelda couldn't stop her excitement from spreading. "Your voice suits you, Link. It's sort of how I'd have pictured you to sound."

Link grimaced and rolled his eyes. He didn't think so.

"Well," Zelda said, scooting closer to him. "If you're talking to me, now you have to tell me why your favorite color is also green."

He ran his hand along the grass and cleared his throat. "Because it's not the sky. Green is alive. Blue is death."

His mother, she realized. "I understand. When I realized my mother died, I refused to go into my parents' room. I never even knew her, but it still scared me."

After a long moment, Zelda stood up and offered Link her hand. "Want to play tag?"

Link nodded and grabbed on to her. And for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel alone.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, this is about the length of the future chapters. The first two were misleadingly short, but this seems vaguely closer to what I'd expect from the length of a chapter. I don't think I have much to say yet. More characters do come into the story; I just figured I'd start with the focus on these two, so if it seems like I'm forgetting half of Skyloft exists, I swear I didn't! I have a couple of chapters pre-written, so I can pop them out weekly for now until it catches up to me. _


	4. Not Alone

**Chapter 3 (Age 11)**

Link stood in the doorway of the Knight's training academy. It was a small room filled with instruments to practice fighting with. There were three knights already in the room. Or, well, they looked like knights.

Two of them looked much younger than the third. And while all three looked familiar, Link reconciled that he hadn't paid much attention to the older students since living at the academy. Two of them were students. They had to be. They were too young to be true knights yet.

There was a boy who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen. He swung his sword around him expertly as he hacked at a tall log, quickly reducing it to wood chippings. He had to be close to graduating.

The second was a girl, slightly older, who was leaning heavily on her sword, out of breath and watching the boy. It was clear she'd just gone herself.

Finally, the older man who stood beside her, an instructor that Link hadn't gotten the chance to officially meet; he wore armor and a helmet like his students, but it was decidedly older in design. He watched the boy carefully, making faces as he did.

When the boy stopped, the older instructor shook his head. "Both of you have high aspirations, but you don't have the attitudes to achieve them. Tirra, stand up straight. I don't care that you've had your turn, you will maintain proper posture. And Eagus, do you believe you are the Goddess' Chosen Hero? Are you swinging your sword around like that to fan your enemies away from you?"

"No, Master Kos. Forgive me."

Master Kos scoffed. "I don't forgive you. Your words mean nothing to me. _Demonstrate_ your understanding. Go again."

He looked at the girl, at Tirra. She was standing straight as a needle as she watched Eagus. Her sword was at her side facing down, but her hand was gripped and ready for any moment's notice.

Then, Master Kos' eyes went to the door. It was closed, but there had been something there. He stood and went to look. Eagus stopped swinging his sword, and Kos hissed at him. "No, you keep going."

Kos circled the room, his eyes scanning the nooks and crannies of his familiar Sparring Hall. There were few places to hide, but his eyes landed on a small, wooden crate that was near his podium. He made no hurry to reach it, but when he did, he peered around the box and saw a small boy curled up, watching Eagus with lit up eyes.

"You can't be in here, boy," Master Kos said.

Link looked over at him and then brought his attention to the now distracted Eagus.

But Kos sat on the sturdy crate. "Who are you, and how did you get in here without any of us noticing?"

Again, Link said nothing. Master Eagus nodded, finally understanding. "You're the boy who doesn't speak. The one who's mother died under my command. I'm sorry for your loss, boy."

Link looked at the ground, away from the three sets of eyes on him.

"You've made yourself blend in well. You don't speak, you don't make noise. You know where to hide just out of one's sight. You've snuck in here before, haven't you?"

Link nodded once, finding no reason to lie. He was caught now.

Master Kos sized Link up. A young boy, eleven maybe, and too young to be in the Sparring Hall at all. But he had determined eyes and an unapologetic disposition. "You've been watching my students. You look like you have another year or two until you begin training with me, but I'll bet if I had you stand up with a weapon, you'd demonstrate better poise and posture than Tirra here, and a better swing than Eagus."

Link grinned, guilty and unashamed. He shrugged. He'd been sneaking in for the better part of a year.

Master Kos laughed. It was an odd look on the surly man's face, but a welcome one. "I like you. And I look forward to seeing what you can do some day, but that day isn't today. You'll have to wait like all the others. You're not even allowed to be in here."

"Link," Eagus said, coming over to join Kos, "You want to be a Knight of Skyloft one day?"

Nodding once, Link stood up finally and brushed himself off.

Eagus gestured to Tirra. "I understand where you're coming from. That's my sister. We lost our father as well. He was caught in windstorm, his Loftwing was injured and couldn't return to save him. We had our mother, but it devastated us. And we trained to become knights to prevent that from happening to anyone ever again. But mostly, we knew that training made us feel strong. Like it could never happen to us if we trained hard enough."

Link nodded, his spirits lifted. There was someone else who knew… someone who got it. Two people, actually.

Eagus looked over at Kos, who nodded to let Eagus continue. "You'll be a great Knight, if that's what you want some day, but for now, you're too young. We don't let anyone who hasn't started the Knight Academy touch weapons. Not even the wooden ones. I'm sorry; I really am."

Link sighed, though his face screamed out his blatant disappointment.

Without another word, Link headed back to his room, relegated, again, to the confines of his boring life within four walls. His trips to the Sparring Hall had been exciting and he loved watching others practice. When he saw knights like Tirra, he thought of his mother, and the ways she might have trained once. And that was something he wouldn't mind following in her footsteps with.

He used to dream of the day he'd complete the Wing Ceremony, and he'd become a Knight of Skyloft. He'd stand atop the Statue of the Goddess, and his mom would smile and wave at him. He might even feel the whisper of the wind that his mother had always said was the spirit of his father, watching them as well, just from another place. And until he'd seen the knights training, that vision had been nothing but a forgotten dream. Now, he felt he could see it once more. Only now, the faces in the crowd wasn't his mother, but the instructors of the Academy. It was Cawlin, watching with disgust that he'd failed while Link had succeeded. And it was the kind smile of the one girl who didn't hate talking to him.

Suddenly, there was a rap on the door.

Link slid off of his bed and opened the door, unsure who it could possibly be. He never had visitors.

Eagus walked in and looked around. "Not bad for someone who technically doesn't attend the Academy yet." He stopped and held out his hand. In it was a wooden sword. "But that shouldn't stop someone from following a dream… even if you're a bit young. Don't worry; you'll only get in trouble if one of the other Instructors finds out about this. Master Kos gave me the training sword. Now, show me your fighting stance."

* * *

Link jolted awake to the sound of rhythmic tapping on his door. The only person who'd bother him before the sun rose would be Zelda. He slammed his head down on his pillow and covered his ears.

"I can tell you're ignoring me!" she called, muffled from the other side of the door.

But she didn't push it, and soon, Link found himself drifting back off to sleep.

"Hey!"

Link's heart burst, coughing as he choked on his spit in surprise. His body jerked, and he felt himself hit the ground with a hard thud. He whipped his head around and stumbled to his feet, listening to the echoing of high-pitched laughter. But she wasn't in his room.

He turned to his window and grumbled when he saw Zelda resting her head in her arms, stifling her laughter. "You should have woken up on time."

Holding his side, Link walked up to the window, resting his tired body against the wall. "How'd you even open it? It opens from my side."

"Small hands. I can do anything, obviously."

Link made a face and sighed, waiting for her to continue.

They'd fallen into an easy companionship over the past year. Link had been struggling to handle Cawlin and Strich, but they'd backed off a fair bit out of fear of Gaepora. Zelda spent a lot of her time with Karane or studying, but when she wasn't doing that, she was with Link.

She found he was easy to talk to, and he was more than willing to talk to her. As they spent more time together, she noticed that he would sometimes start conversations, rather than just answering her. But when they were around others, he remained completely silent.

"Link!" she said impatiently, adjusting her grip on the window.

Link leaned over the sill and saw her balancing on the absolute tips of her toes.

"Wait," Link interrupted. "Let go and we'll talk."

"Well, we could have talked in your room if you'd woken up."

"I'm up now."

"And I'm outside. You should be, too! New students today!"

"We don't even start classes yet."

"They're getting ready for when we do. Come on!" she called, finally letting go and disappearing around the corner.

When he was sure she'd gone, he closed the window and stuck a paper into the small slit, jamming it shut. The last thing he needed was for her to open it again while he was changing.

To Link, these new students weren't a big deal. It's not like they'd become his new friends. In fact, he was sure they'd find out his story and avoid him like the plague. He wore his normal clothes, disinterested in looking nice for this event.

Admittedly, it was rare for anyone to move onto Skyloft from the outer islands of the sky. From what he understood, the students were coming from a small village beyond the Thunderhead.

After pulling on his boots, he opened his door to see Zelda waiting with Karane.

"Good! Let's go!" she said, grabbing both of their hands and taking off down the hall.

He stumbled, but kept pace with her as she dragged them both outside.

"Hey!" Karane yelled, pulling Zelda's arm back before they could reach the hill. "You're going to kill us. We'll walk fast, we promise."

"Fine," Zelda mumbled, letting go of them.

Karane kept pace with Zelda, but Link fell behind, eager to join the crowd that was gathering. Knowing Zelda, she'd move them right to the front.

Zelda turned around, gesturing for him to follow, but she knew he wouldn't. He made a face and scoffed. He took a step to his left and became completely invisible, merging with the crowd.

She wanted him to stay with her, but she understood. It was just one of his quirks.

Zelda and Karane watched Gaepora and Horwell move towards the Loftwing platform in preparation. There were a few Loftwings in the distance, and they were getting bigger.

It took some time, but finally the Loftwings landed. There were a few, more than usual. Some were Knights that escorted the families. This time, it looked like two boys were joining the class. One was a short boy. Both of his parents fussed over a cloth that had been fastened around his neck and they each gave him a kiss before grabbing his things off another Loftwing. The boy looked scared and anxious. He looked at the large crowd with fear, and his eyes welled up with tears. He grabbed ahold of his parents, begging not to make him go.

They both looked sympathetic, but the settlement island had no school for older kids. They only offered the normal education that all Skyloft children got before the Knight Academy.

But the other boy… well… he was quite the opposite.

He was also short, but his hair made up for his lack of height. It looked like a bird's tail, sticking straight up and rigid with gels that the boy had obviously put in it. His parents went to hug him, but he was clearly embarrassed by the display and pulled away, eager to grab his things and begin his adventure. He didn't even respond to his parent's farewells, and they returned to their Loftwing without looking back again.

It took a while for the other's parents to leave. The boy was distraught, and it was clear that he didn't want to let them go.

Link headed back to the Academy, wanting to give the boy the privacy that very few were offering him. Even the instructors were hovering.

Zelda ran to meet Link, Karane in tow.

"We have to find Pipit," Karane said with a huff. "They're going to make him share a room with one of the new students."

Link shrugged. Zelda understood him immediately, a testament to the time they'd been spending together. "Well you've known the dorm next to you has been empty since Grezel graduated. Pipit had no idea."

Karane had become accustomed to Zelda's uncanny ability to understand Link's gestures, and it didn't faze her. "I wonder which of them it will be?"

Link looked around and spotted the top of Pipit's brown hair and tapped Karane, gesturing to where he was. She took off quickly, and Link turned to Zelda. "I'll go back and find out."

"I'll come, too."

Link stopped her and gestured to Pipit. "Someone's not going to be happy about his room."

Zelda nodded. "Yeah, I'll go help Karane."

Link headed up the steps and went back to his room, double checking to make sure they hadn't installed a second bed without telling him. When he was satisfied, he went back out into the hall. Knights had brought some of the new students' things in, but he couldn't tell who had which baggage.

Instead, he went to his next best source.

Henya was in the kitchen stirring the giant pot that would eventually become that night's dinner. He sat down and watched her for a moment.

"Not at the viewing party?" she asked sardonically.

Link grinned and shook his head, looking out into the hall curiously as someone passed the door.

"Your new neighbor seems nice…"

He looked at her with curiosity. She turned to him and shook her head. "I'm kidding. Do I look like I've left this room? I only know the boys' names. But that's some information you came for, right? Come see old Henya for the tea. Groose and Fledge. I don't know what they look like. I don't know any more than that."

Link stood up with a smirk, which Henya returned. She liked that kid.

Familiar with becoming invisible, Link stood against a wall in the hallway and glanced at one of the bags. It was the ones nearest the room attached to his. 'Fledge' was written on a tag.

He hurried back outside and took a shortcut to where he'd seen Pipit.

Zelda saw Link coming and broke away to meet him. "Well?"

"Their names are Fledge and Groose. Fledge is in the room near me."

"But you don't know which is which?"

He shook his head and they met up with the others.

Zelda reiterated this new information to Karane and Pipit. Pipit's shoulders sagged. "I wish I knew who was who."

Zelda looked around and saw her father watching one of the boys carefully. She hurried over to him and stood sweetly at his side. "So, which one is Fledge and which is Groose?"

Gaepora looked at her suspiciously. "How'd you learn their names?"

Zelda looked offended. "I would never reveal my sources."

Gaepora grunted and nodded to the crying boy with his head. "Fledge."

Zelda gave him a quick hug and hurried back. She turned to Pipit with a sympathetic look on her face. "You have the one with the tall hair."

Pipit's eyes lit up in horror. "I have to go clean off my desk!"

As Pipit went to move, Gaepora called out to Link. Link turned, waving Pipit and the others on. Zelda stayed behind with Link as Gaepora walked up to them. "I'm sure your little investigation has figured out that Fledge is your new neighbor. He's awfully upset about leaving his parents behind, but he's very excited to be a Knight. I think it would help if you met him. And you, Zelda. You should introduce yourself to the both of them. You're excellent at making friends."

Zelda gave him a bland look. "Since when? I've had the same friends for years."

Gaepora waved her of dismissively. "Come on."

Link made a face at her and they followed closely behind Gaepora until they were right in front of Fledge. His parents had gone, but he was sitting on a bench in the middle of the square.

"Fledge?" Gaepora said. "This is Link. He'll be in the room connected to yours. And this is my daughter, Zelda. She's upstairs."

"Hi Fledge," Zelda said kindly. Her tone oozed friendliness and Fledge almost immediately perked up.

"H-hi."

Link smiled and nodded once at him. He looked at Zelda and made a gesture toward the Academy.

"Oh, let's show you your room, Fledge. I think you'll like it."

Fledge wiped his eyes and stood up, following behind them as they walked away from Gaepora. When they were out of earshot, Fledge's shaky voice was little more than a whisper. "Y-you don't have to be nice to me anymore. Your father is gone."

Zelda stopped and turned to him, puzzled. "Why wouldn't we be nice to you?"

Fledge shrugged. "I don't know. People just aren't usually."

Zelda looked at link with a disgusted look in her eyes. "Well I don't know who was ever mean to you, but you're our friend now. We don't let people be mean to our friends, okay?"

A ghost of a smile passed over Fledge's face, but it quickly faded at the sight of the other new arrival. Fledge hurried to his things, clumsily trying to grab all his bags at once. Before one could fall, Link grabbed it, and Zelda took another, opening the door to his room. She could see Pipit's sour face as he watched his new roommate move in.

"Here you are!" Zelda announced as she put his bag down on the already made bed. "Link will help you get settled while I go say hi to the other newcomer!"

Zelda left, and Fledge turned to Link. "Th-thank you for helping me."

Link nodded with a small smile. Fledge regarded him. "You don't talk much, do you?"

Link considered it for a moment. He did talk quite a lot when he was with Zelda. But no, he shook his head.

To Link's surprise, Fledge nodded along. "I g-get it. I used to t-try not to talk. I have a nervous s-stutter, in c-case you couldn't tell."

With an understanding grin, Link made a face. A face that clearly conveyed a joke: "I couldn't tell."

Fledge grinned. "You don't need to s-stay. I actually want to be alone for a while. Th-thank the girl for me. Z-Zelda?"

Link pointed at the partitions that separated the two rooms. Fledge understood.

Link stepped into the hall and closed the door, meeting Zelda in the corridor. She rolled her eyes and pulled Link along. "I don't like Groose. He seemed weird."

"I like Fledge though, so half is good."

"One out of two is not the best, but better than zero out of two," she conceded.

Pipit joined them, slipping from the room. "Cawlin and Stritch got to him already. I don't want to share a room with him."

And when the boy came our into the hall to grab another bag, his eyes landed on the trio. His gaze lingered on Link and Pipit, sizing them up, but softened when he looked at Zelda. Cawlin came out into the hall to help, and he sniggered.

"Were you hanging with that sniveling loser? You'll be perfect for each other."

"Hey!" Zelda shouted back, holding Link's arm. She knew how quickly Link could become angry at Cawlin.

But the new boy, Groose, made a distinct note of Zelda's arm on Link and took a step forward. "You're trouble."

Cawlin groaned. "Worse, he's a walking sob story. His mother died from incompetence. A knight who fell right off her Loftwing."

Zelda's arm tightened around Link as she felt him take an aggressive step forward.

"Hey!" Pipit yelled. "Leave it, Cawlin."

"What are you going to do? Chase me on your Loftwing? Oh wait, you're afraid of them. Thanks a lot, Ma." Cawlin shrugged mockingly, and Groose laughed along.

But this time, Link didn't have an opportunity to get to Cawlin.

Zelda got there first.

She pointed her finger against his chest and lowered herself so she was the same height as him, nose to nose. "You listen to me: if you ever talk to Link like that again, I will personally make sure you are thrown out of the Knight Academy and never let back in. You will not look at my friends, you will not talk to my friends. You are never to mention his mother again, and I won't tell yours what a horrible son she has. Back off, Cawlin. Now."

She let go and took a step backwards towards Link. She turned to Groose, hoping that she managed to scare him off, too, but she could practically see hearts in his eyes as he looked at her. She made a face, taking another step back. But Cawlin had the sense to be scared.

"Don't tell your father, Zelda. I want to be here!"

"My father will make sure the Headmaster knows every horrible word you've ever said. So, watch what you say now. You never know who might hear it."

Link stepped forward, his own anger replaced by concern, and he lightly grabbed Zelda's arm to pull her closer to him and Pipit. He made sure to grab her right arm. Her dominant hand.

Pipit sighed as both Cawlin and Groose returned to the room. "Zelda! I thought you were going to punch him!"

She pulled her arm gently from Link. "I'm done listening to anyone say horrible things to my friends. Pipit, you tell _me _if you see them bully anyone. Fledge too. Don't let them near him. He's our friend now."

She turned to Link and poked him in the chest as she had done with Cawlin, though with decidedly less aggression. "Do not fight them, Link. I mean it. I will protect you from them. I have my father. That will always protect us. But don't fight, because he can only do so much. And I won't let them ever talk about your mother again."

Link smirked and lightly pushed her finger off his chest. He understood. And he was a bit scared of her himself. He knew he could handle Cawlin in a fight now. He'd practiced and trained, grown stronger with Master Kas and Eagus. But Zelda was right. He couldn't fight them for real. He was so close now, and he couldn't risk expulsion. But he also didn't want her to get in trouble. Her spirit occasionally got the better of her.

Zelda let out a deep breath. "Well, school should be so fun."

* * *

_A/N: I'm flying through chapters right now. I think I can actually keep up the once a week posts for a while! _

_I always answer reviews, and this is literally the only way I know how, so if you leave a review (hint hint), I'll definitely answer it down here at the bottom of the next chapter: __Queen Emily: Hello again and thank you! Good to be back! Ten ways to spoil dinner: First off, great name. Second, thank you for all your feedback! I went and fixed your suggestion. I always welcome suggestions, especially because I don't use a beta; I just skim through at the end and then call it a day. _


	5. For the Better

**Chapter 4 (Age 12)**

Link had taken to the Knight Academy better than he expected. Though he was still too young to join the Sparring Hall lessons, he realized he didn't hate the normal classes either.

While he was used to attending class at the Academy, it had always been for more basic things: math and counting, writing, history. Now, what was once the history of Skyloft is studying map chartings of the Sky. Math is no longer how to count pumpkins and consider their supply and demand against growth time, but it's Loftwing velocity, speed, angles. History turned into a more current study of Skyloft, more current problems, rather than learning about how the Goddess saved her people.

One thing that he could barely tolerate, however, was Groose, the new kid. Though he wasn't quite new anymore, he still acted as if it was his first day there. He broke rules, he interrupted classes with witless humor. What's more, Cawlin had taken Zelda's words to heart and backed off Link and his friends, but in doing so, he became Groose's second in command, along with Strich. Groose didn't have the history that Cawlin did, and he certainly wasn't afraid of Zelda. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

He had taken a liking to her.

For Zelda, the feeling was not mutual.

Groose's most recent escapade had been locking everyone's doors and windows. While it sounded harmless, the tools he used to locked everything had trapped students inside all day with no way to get food or to get to class. The doors needed replacing, and the windows had been broken to let the students out. But, there were a few unaffected students: Groose, Cawlin, Strich… and Zelda.

Zelda was quick to tell her father, to let him know many of the things Groose had done.

"There are things you're too young to understand, Zelda. There are reasons why we can't kick Groose out. His antics are childish. He will grow out of them one day and it will be significantly easier to tolerate him."

Zelda couldn't figure that one out, but it seemed that Groose knew whatever reason that was. He knew that he was immune to any harsh punishment. And it kept him a thorn in everyone's side.

But that had been a week and a half ago. Things had settled, and Groose had calmed for a time. It possibly had to do with a letter from his parents, but Link and Zelda didn't know. They took the reprieve where they could find it.

Link took hasty notes in class as Instructor Owlan spoke. Sometimes, Link couldn't keep up, and relied on Zelda's own notebook to keep from falling behind. The only other student he could rely on to be so diligent with their notes had been Fledge.

He'd found a unique friendship with Fledge. While he enjoyed hanging around with Karane and Pipit, Fledge didn't ask for much out of Link. For them, silent companionship was enough. Fledge was often found at Link's desk, Link taking the floor instead, to work on their homework before the next day.

But at lunchtime, they were allowed to take their meals outside.

Zelda, Link, and Fledge went outside to meet Karane and Pipit. They were both one year older than Link and Zelda, so they were allowed to take the training offered in the Sparring Hall.

"…so then Master Kos let us hold one of the sharp swords. He didn't let us use them yet, but I got to hold one!" Karane said as she continued to tell the others about her and Pipit's day. Pipit nodded along and added his own exciting perspective, but Karane was the storyteller between the two of them.

Link sighed. As much as he wanted to listen, he wanted to join the class more. He'd gotten some secret lessons from Eagus and Tirra, but both had been sent off the mainland of Skyloft a few months ago and only made short trips back. They didn't have time to stay and train Link. So, he was left like everyone else: desperate to train but too young to do so.

By the time Link started to listen to their conversation again, Pipit was the one talking. "You should have seen Jardon! He's going to be the best in his class, I can tell already. He was just *BAM* and *BAM* right into the training post! It was something to watch!"

"No," Karane said, shaking her head. "I think Gillee is going to be the best. Did you see her swing?"

"Gillee is two years older than Jardon. She's graduating."

Karane shrugged. "That makes her the best in the room and the best in the class. Sorry. She's the best."

"I don't think I'm going to do it," Zelda said abruptly. Everyone turned to her, questioningly. "I don't think I'm going to take the class. I don't want to be a Knight. I want to be at the Academy, of course, but I want to become an Instructor, not a Knight. I wouldn't need to take the class, and I would be allowed to take an upper level class instead, then I can use my final year to assist."

"What?" Karane asked in disbelief. "But what about flying around Skyloft together?"

"You don't need to be a Knight to have a Loftwing. I'll still get one. Besides, Orielle is graduating this year and she never went through the Knight courses. Her old brother didn't. So many people don't go through them. And some who do the classes choose a different path anyway. I'll just be making better use of my time. I don't want to fight things, patrol the Thunderhead, or chase away Skytails. I want to teach others about our history, I want to talk to them about the differences between folktales about our Goddess and what the true story was."

She turned to each of her friends. Karane still looked at her in disbelief. It was clear she thought they'd go through all of the training together, as they had for their entire lives. Pipit seemed to contemplate what a life was like without Knighthood. It was something he'd never considered. From the moment he knew what a "job" was, he knew his would be with the Knights of Skyloft. Anything else had never crossed his mind. Fledge seemed to approve, and he even looked like he might consider it as well. And Link just smiled at her approvingly. In truth, he'd never been able to picture her as a Knight. It wasn't in her nature. She was the smartest person he'd ever met.

"You don't have to decide now," Karane said with a smug grin. "You still have a whole year until you have to be final about it. You might change your mind."

Zelda grinned sadly, hoping to at least encourage Karane enough that she didn't think she was totally ignoring her.

"We should be getting back to class," she said, though they still had enough time left of their lunch break. Fledge and Link didn't seem to mind, and both stood up with her. They went back inside as Karane and Pipit stayed to finish eating before returning to the Sparring Hall.

"I think it's great that y-you want to teach," Fledge said softly. Zelda smiled kindly at him, a silent thank you.

* * *

Link was tired, more tired than usual. He'd left everyone after class for some privacy as he continued some of his training. He'd been working on his arm strength, especially after hearing how difficult Pipit found holding up a heavy sword for too long. He knew that he was an oddball; none of the other kids trained at all. They usually waited until they were given drills by Master Kos. But Link didn't want to take a chance at falling behind.

So, his arms were killing him as he laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He nearly drifted off to sleep once or twice, but that was before he heard the commotion in the hallway.

He slipped out of bed and leaned up against the door, straining to hear. It wasn't coming from the hall, not directly.

"No! What did you do?"

Link cracked the door open upon hearing Pipit.

The other voice wasn't nearly as angry, and was too hard to hear, but Pipit's anger was loud enough to hear his side.

"Stop it! That's my dad's! Put it down!"

Link slid into the hall and looked around. No one else seemed to hear them, but all of the adults were on the second floor and it was late.

There was a sudden crash, and a loud scream.

Without any more hesitation, Link pushed the door to Pipit and Groose's room and saw Pipit and Groose toe-to-toe. That was the only part of them that lined up. Pipit was dwarved by Groose's larger frame and significantly taller height. Or maybe it was the hair that gave that illusion. But regardless, Link could see in an instant that Pipit had reached his breaking point and was prepared to hit Groose. And with the influence that Groose had on the Academy, immune as he was to his already aggressive bullying, Pipit throwing a punch would get him expelled from the Knight's Academy. Link lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Pipit, the force of his sprint knocked them both off-balance.

"Let go!" Pipit yelled, trying to break free. But Link held him firmly, physically stronger than Pipit. He could already hear doors and footsteps from upstairs. "Let GO, Link!" he yelled again, squirming. "He broke my dad's favorite mug!"

Link knew that was more important than it sounded. If there was anyone who could put on a good show in the face of his emotions, it was Pipit. The very fact that he was reacting so poorly was proof that this mug meant something more to him.

"Let. Me. Go." Pipit's eyes were trained mercilessly on Groose, who stood with his arms crossed and a pleased look on his face.

"No," Link grunted, taking an elbow to his gut as Pipit continued to flail with abandon.

But that one word was enough to stop Pipit in his tracks. He turned, shocked to hear Link speak to him. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard Link. No. He was sure. He hadn't.

"What happened?" Gaepora asked with a gasp as he took in the situation. "A mug? What's going on?" He looked at Link and Pipit particularly, especially when he saw Link restraining his friend. "Is everyone alright?"

Link nodded and let go of Pipit entirely. Pipit stared at the shattered glass on the ground and felt tears burn his eyes.

"Tell me," Gaepora said. Owlan walked in and led Groose away from them to check on his well-being and get his side of the story.

When he was gone, Pipit let the tears fall and he picked up a large piece of the mug. "This is my dad's. I took it from my house. It's his favorite. It's all I have of him while he's away. Groose threw it for fun."

Gaepora's expression softened. He knew Pipit's father had been gone for some time. He was Skyloft's best flier, and he was always sent on the most dangerous missions. Now, he was on an exploration of the outer reaches of the Sky, several weeks removed from any civilization, relying only on drop points and outposts for supplies. If anything were to happen to him, it would be a long time until anyone realized it. But he was the best there was. They needed him.

"Pipit, Link, did either of you hit Groose?"

Link shook his head quickly and Pipit followed suit. Gaepora looked visibly relieved.

"Good; at least I know drastic measures won't be necessary. But what are we going to do?" He turned to the doorway and saw everyone from the Academy crowding the hall, but the face he was looking for was in the front. "Horwell, should we wake the Headmaster?"

Horwell shook his head. "He is still quite unwell. He said all decisions you make in his absence are final."

Gaepora turned back to the boys. "Pipit, we'll send you home to your mother for a while so this doesn't escalate."

"No!" Pipit cried. "I have to be here! I'm a Knight-in-Training! Our place is at the Academy."

Link looked behind Gaepora to see who was crowding the hall. He could see the back of Stritch's head; he must have been looking at wherever Groose was. But besides all the other students, Zelda and Karane were in the front, watching.

Link could see Pipit turn to Zelda, looking for intercession. He needed her to talk to her father. That was the only way things could get done at this point. It was the only way to keep him at the Academy.

"I'm sorry, Pipit. Pack your most important things and you can come get the rest tomorrow."

"Wait."

But the voice didn't come from Pipit. It didn't come from anyone in the halls.

Link's eyes darted over to Zelda's surprised expression. He'd been the one to speak.

Clearing his throat, Link closed his eyes and breathed. He would become the talk of the Academy: the boy who never speaks finally does. All eyes on him. But it was either that, or his friend is sent home for something he didn't even do.

"Pipit…" Link breathed again, "can share my room."

It looked like Gaepora would die of shock then and there. In fact, for everyone listening except for Zelda, it was the most surprising thing they'd ever heard.

Gaepora knew he couldn't make matters worse by waiting to respond, so he gathered himself as quickly as he could to respond to Link's offer.

"That's very kind of you, Link. We don't know how long it would be for, though. Is that still all right?"

Link turned to Pipit. It wasn't just his decision, after all. Pipit would be the one living there. And Fledge, technically, since their rooms were attached.

Pipit nodded vigorously. "Yes. I'd love that. Thank you, Link!"

Link nodded once and looked at Gaepora.

"Very well. Pipit, bring anything of great importance that you don't want Groose near to Link's room. We'll give you a temporary set up for the night and bring in your bed tomorrow. Now, Instructor Horwell, we need to clean up this mug. Try to find all of the pieces. We'll give reconstruction a shot tomorrow, with Pipit's assistance."

Tears dripped down Pipit's face. "Thank you."

"Go on, grab your things. It's late."

As Pipit began to gather some of his belongings, Gaepora placed his hand on Link's shoulder, a silent gesture of appreciation. If there was anything Gaepora didn't want to do, knowing who link was as a person, it would be to make a big deal about this. Better to get it to pass on form people's daily gossip as quickly as possible.

Horwell went to work on the shattered glass as Gaepora cleared the hallways, sending the students back to their rooms. Zelda, Karane, and Fledge were quick to step in and help Pipit and Link gather many of his belongings.

Between the five of them, they got it done rather quickly, and emptied the room of most of Pipit's things.

Gaepora had set up pillows and several blankets on the floor of Link's room, promising a spare bed by the next day. Groose was let back into Pipit's old room as soon as they'd finished, and he looked smugly across the hall before closing his door.

Link had gotten back into bed while Pipit settled in. Pipit noticed the partition to Fledge's room had been moved over slightly just next to their chairs. Easier to communicate that way. But both Pipit and Link knew that the room would have a whole new look by tomorrow.

"Link?" he asked quickly. "Why did you help me? You're giving up your room. You gave up not talking. Why?"

Link was quiet for a while, so long that Pipit though that Link had fallen asleep. But finally, Link sighed. "Because you're my friend."

Pipit was shocked to hear Link answer again. He'd almost been expecting nothing, or even a dismissive shrug. The actual response made Pipit's throat tight, refusing to get choked up upon hearing that. Sure, he was friends with Karane and Zelda. He'd known them since they were all born. But Link had been a friendship that had grown from nothing. Some boy he'd never even hung around the village with. And now? Now this boy was his friend. His first friend, in some ways. The first friend he actually had to make.

"Thank you," Pipit said quietly before turning to face the partitions and close his eyes.

Link remained awake for just a little longer, considering the implications of what he'd done. He didn't regret any of it, but he wasn't sure he was ready to be stared at. He'd grown so used to being virtually alone, to blending into the wall, that he wasn't sure how this would change him.

_For the better_, he hoped.

* * *

_A/N: Well, my job just turned into a from-home job for the foreseeable future, so hopefully I can get some extra writing in now. Hope everyone is safe out there! _

_Green Swordsman: Thank you! I can't wait to see where I take it either hahaha! GreenEggAndHam:_ Thank you! I'll probably take some licence, but I definitely like sticking to the game too, so we'll both see how that one ends up!


	6. Feather on the Wind

**Chapter 5 (Age 13)**

Zelda sat with Link on his bed, sharing the book between them. They wrote frantically, trying to finish their homework before they could do anything else. If there was one thing that Gaepora did for Link that was above the profession he had as an instructor, it was that he often treated Link in a similar way to Zelda.

Though Link couldn't exactly call him a parental figure, he was the closest thing he had.

Gaepora came into the room again and stood in the doorway. "I can check it now."

"Thank the Goddess," Zelda said, sliding off the bed with her notebook. She handed it to him and then offered her hand for Link's book.

He gave it to her, and she passed it along. Gaepora sat at Pipit's desk, though he was not there. As Gaepora inspected the work, he made several pensive noises. It took some time, but finally he handed the books back. "You both have numbers seven and seventeen wrong. Don't forget to account for the Loftwing's feathers, not just it's wingspan."

Zelda sighed and plopped herself back down, bouncing the bed slightly. Link took his notebook and erased the work he'd done on those two questions, wishing he could have just left them wrong.

When they'd both finished, they gave them back. This time, Gaepora nodded.

"Good work, you two. You're quite a team. You can go have fun now."

Zelda grinned and grabbed Link. "Come on!"

He followed willingly, though her excitement often left him looking as if he had been taken against his will.

Only now, when Zelda grabbed his hand, things felt… different.

He realized that he liked the feel of her hand on his. He liked the uncomfortable sensation of Goddess Butterflies in his stomach when he looked at her. There were times when he felt he couldn't breathe, sweating and confused as if he'd never spoken to Zelda a day in his life.

Other times, things were the way they'd always been. He still liked to be around her, but he didn't feel like a ball of nerves every waking moment. But he kept quiet. After all, she wasn't complaining of any stomach aches, so there was no way she was feeling the same about him.

"Okay!" Zelda said, skidding to a stop outside the Bazaar. "Do you still want to do this?" She pulled out a red rupee from her bag and waited.

Link had to swallow his nerves. Now, it wasn't just because of Zelda. "Yeah. I'm going to do it. Knights have to do this." His voice cracked once and he felt the red seep into his face. He turned away from Zelda. "Maybe not today."

But she held his hand tighter. "You can do it. That won't happen! And if it does, just remember that Pipit is having a way harder time. His voice never stops squeaking. You'll be fine! You can do this!"

With a deep breath, Link went inside, followed closely behind by Zelda.

_You'll be a Knight. Knights have courage. I can do this. I can do this. _

Walking over to the merchant's stall, one of the graduating Knight's Academy students sat gloomily on the bench. His mother, Goselle, whacked his arm, alerting him to the two customers.

"Rupin, this will be your job. Take over."

"Hello. How may I help you today?" asked the bored student.

Goselle smiled an apologetic smile at Link and Zelda and turned back to her son. "Hey! You didn't want to be a Knight. You wanted to work elsewhere. You are, so now you have to act like you want to be here. Sell them something, Rupin. Put a smile on their faces… and yours."

In what was clearly an act, a forced smile that was far creepier than anything, Rupin turned to Zelda, recognizing the pair from the Academy.

"Sorry about before. I'm new and still learning." If Zelda hadn't heard his mother chastise him, she'd have thought it to be a sincere apology. "How can I assist you today?"

Zelda turned her attention to Link, giving him his cue. Link took a deep breath and fiddled with his own red rupee in his pocket. The smooth, glass-like sensation calmed him as he glided his thumb along the surface. Deep breath. Again.

"Can I have…" Link stopped and cleared his throat, but that was enough for Rupin to betray his surprise. Link turned red again and looked away.

Zelda grabbed his arm in encouragement but didn't say anything.

Another deep breath. "I'll take the Deku Seeds."

"R-right," Rupin said, keeping his forced smile on his face. "That'll be twenty rupees."

Link slid the comforting stone from his pocket and placed it into Rupin's hand. He took the Deku Seeds and let out that breath with a long and hard sigh. "Thank you."

"Yeah… of course."

Zelda pulled Link over to the chairs and struggled to contain her excitement. "You did so good!"

He pushed his hair from his face. "That wasn't easy."

His ears perked up as he listened to Rupin's conversation with his mother. Zelda stopped talking too, pretending to look interested in the Deku seeds. It was a bad thing to do, they both knew, but eavesdropping had become almost second nature to them. At the Academy, it was the only way to get the scoop.

"Did I do okay?" Rupin asked his mom.

She pinched his cheek, and he pushed her hand back. "You did great. You just need some time and practice to perfect that and you'll be taking over for me in no time."

"I had that weird kid. He never talks. I mean… never."

"I know," Goselle said dismissively. "Sometimes, people change. You won't be the same after working here. It'll make you so much better with people. You remember when you hid from my Loft wing? That was almost a year until I could break you from that habit. Don't judge the kid."

"What a first customer…"

"Daddy!"

A new voice. Link turned to Zelda and hid his face. Zelda grinned, but it wasn't filled with excitement or joy. More like apprehension.

"I want to go to the Lumpy Pumpkin for supper!"

"Peatrice, I can't afford to go there every night. Besides, I'm not feeling well. I just want to go to bed."

Link turned in his chair. Peatrice was known as one of the most interesting girls in Skyloft. She had attended the Academy for a time, but then her father, Peater, had decided to finish her education himself. She'd been pulled from the Academy and asked to help out while Peater collected materials for his dream job. One day… someday, he would own his own game house. He didn't know what game, but he knew it had to be perfect.

Peatrice, however, had picked a fight with Zelda just a few weeks ago, and they'd managed to steer clear of each other until today. Link and Zelda couldn't figure out the grudge Peatrice had, but it wasn't one they wanted to relive. They kept their heads down.

If Peatrice had noticed them, she didn't say anything. Link suspected it was because her father was with her. Or perhaps she'd just had a really bad day the other day. But either way, they both lifted their eyes and this time, genuinely chuckled together like they'd just committed a prank.

Peatrice bumped into a strange looking man on her way out.

"Watch it!" he hissed at her. Another strange man came in, and a woman. Link squinted. They weren't from Skyloft, that was for sure. They were from one of the outer islands, like Fledge and Groose.

"S-sorry," Peatrice muttered, before her father grabbed her arm and hastily pulled her away from the odd group.

It was only then that Link realized that he was standing on his feet, his chair pushed back. He looked away from the group and back at Zelda. "I was… uh… getting a better look at their outfits. I think I want that shirt."

After a few moments of giggling at the group, Zelda's eyes softened and she turned to Link, looking much more serious.

"You'll be a good Knight one day, Link."

He smiled a thank you and looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Well, you'll be a good instructor."

"Do you know what I really want to do?" Zelda asked, looking at her hands anxiously. Link didn't answer, but he waited, so Zelda continued. "I want to fly away for a while. I want to go beyond the Thunderhead on my own Loftwing and see the Sky. I want to find another land… another whole island! A world like Skyloft that no one has found in the Sky before."

"Will you come back and tell me about it, or would you stay there?"

Zelda snorted. "Of course, I'd come back. But you could come on my adventure with me."

"'The Adventures of Link: Boy Without a Bird.' That would be a great story: _'He walked over to the edge of Skyloft and turned around. The end_.'"

"You could try. If you can talk to people, you can fly, too."

Link didn't try to hide his emotions. "Yeah? Well, talking didn't kill my mom. A Loftwing did."

Zelda looked away, knowing that this wasn't the kind of subject Link liked to talk about… ever.

Link sighed in frustration and stood up. "Maybe we should get back."

"Yeah."

* * *

By the next day, their conversation had been forgotten and Link was back to his usual self. Link had changed early in the morning to go for a walk around Skyloft before class, and when he returned, Pipit was sitting on his own bed, staring at the floor. When he heard Link close the door, he spoke without looking up.

"Do you ever just not know what to do with yourself? I don't know what to do before class, but I feel like I'm wasting time."

Fledge called over the partitions, "He's been like this all morning."

Link shrugged. "You can go for a walk with me, if you want."

Pipit looked up, still bland. He and Fledge had been the first two recipients of Link's attempts to communicate aloud more often, so his responses were no longer a surprise for them.

"I guess I might try it."

"You can sleep in, too," Link suggested with a chuckle. "I've only been walking since you came in. I love sleeping late. Zelda had to wake me up more than a few times."

Pipit sighed again. "I don't want you to change your routine for me. And that sounds like a good idea, too. But I just can't. I've got so much on my mind."

The partition slid over and Fledge joined them on Link's side of the room. "I-I read in the mornings."

Pipit smiled but shook his head. "Not my style. I'll figure something out. At least some day I'll be able to just fly. Go on patrols, or just fly for fun, you know?"

Link grunted a response. None of that sounded like fun. He grabbed his notebook and quill from his desk and tossed it onto his bed. "I don't want to go to class today."

"What else is there to do?"

"Go back to sleep."

Pipit snorted as he got his things together for class. "Let's just go and get today over with."

"Skyloft is so boring sometimes," Link said with a yawn.

As if hearing Link's lamenting, there was a knock on their door. Pipit went to open it, surprised to see Instructors Horwell and Owlan.

"Boys," Owlan greeted them. The three boys waited for either of the instructors to speak, and finally, Horwell stepped forward.

"Classes are canceled until further notice. Skyloft… Skyloft is facing a… a problem. We are asking all students to grab their things and go to an assigned location. The three of you, you'll be going to Mallara's home."

"My mom?" Pipit asked curiously.

"Yes, she will take care of you until we can all return to normal."

"What's happening?" Fledge asked nervously.

Horwell gave him his best smile. "Don't worry. Just grab a few things and meet me in the hallway."

Link, Fledge, and Pipit exchanged a worried glance and packed a few things into a backpack. Pipit had reminded them that he had things at home in case they forgot anything. They didn't even know why they were leaving.

As they entered the hall, they saw every other student doing the same thing: lining up quietly with a small bag of their things. Instructors were leading small groups out one at a time. Finally, Horwell came back for them.

"What's happening?" Pipit tried again. But once again, Horwell didn't give him a proper answer.

Soon after leaving the Academy and traipsing through the deserted roads of Skyloft, the three boys were settled around Pipit's house.

"Sorry, boys," she'd said when they first came in. "I didn't have time to clean today, but I'll get to it later. You can call me Mallara. Not you, Pip. You can call me mom!"

Link stared out the window at the Academy, wondering what kind of mess they were dealing with. There was no one wandering the streets except for the odd instructor leading groups to homes.

"What's happening, Mom?" Pipit asked.

His mom's face betrayed a little fear, but she controlled it quickly. "I don't know! They asked if I wanted to take some of you in, and I said, 'I want my son and his friends or no one at all!'"

Pipit joined Link by the window. "I wonder where Karane and Zelda are staying?"

Fledge crossed his arms and sat far from the window. "Forget them. Where are Groose and his goons? I don't want them to be our neighbors or anything."

"I want to know what's happening," Link muttered.

Mallara's eyes lit up, almost as if she were hearing her own son speak for the first time. But again, she contained herself, not wanting to embarrass Link in any way. "Listen, boys, all I know is it's happening at the Bazaar, but that the Academy wasn't the safest place to be at the moment."

"What?" Pipit gasped, looking more frantically out the window.

"Come away from there, you'll strain your eyes." She crossed her arms near the fire where she was cooking food.

Pipit turned to Link with a mischievous grin, and he lowered his voice. "I can keep her talking if you can get to the bazaar."

"I don't want to make your mom angry," Link admitted. He loved being at Pipit's house. Mallara was what he liked to imagine his own mom had been like.

"What if we can help? What if there's something happening, and they might need future knights?"

Link started to protest again, but Pipit caught Link's arm, real fear suddenly crossing his eyes. "What if Karane and Zelda are there? They go sometimes before class to eat."

That got Link to consider Pipit's idea. It was true; Zelda and Karane would sometimes go to eat Piper's morning special. Link and Pipit never wanted to wake up before class to join, though Fledge had gone a couple of times.

"Just see if they're in there."

Steeling himself as he prepared to break about a hundred rules, Link nodded. Pipit ran over to his mother and struck up a conversation that she eagerly got into.

Sneaking out the door as quietly as he could, Link timed his approach to the bazaar between passing groups and instructors so he wouldn't be caught. It was difficult, and not something he'd ever tried before, but eventually, he made it to the back entrance of the bazaar.

There was a crowd standing in front of the doorway, closer to the items shop than the actual door, and it allowed him a decent look inside. He crept in and ducked behind a counter, peering through the gaps between people to see anything.

And he saw his worst fear confirmed.

Zelda and Karane were seated at one of the tables, covering their mouths to stifle sobs. Peatrice and Paeter were there as well, and so were a couple of others. And surrounding them… Link couldn't see. He moved closer again.

He had to cover his own mouth as he gasped. The strangely dressed group from the night before stood around the diners with outstretched swords. Gaepora was in front of them, talking too softly for Link to hear. Behind him were several older knights, ready and prepared for a fight. But the odd group was too close to the diners, and the Knights wouldn't move until it was safer for them.

Suddenly, Link felt something sharp dig into his arm and drag him away. Nails, he realized. He was fully prepared to see Mallara glaring down at him, but it wasn't her. It was Tirra, Eagus' sister from the Sparring Hall.

"Link," she hissed, pulling him all the way out the door. "What in the Goddess' name are you doing? Get out!"

"Zelda's in there!" he gasped when he finally found his breath.

Tirra looked momentarily surprised that he'd spoken to her, but she nodded. "She is, and she might get hurt if you go in there again. Listen, they need us in there. I can't babysit you. Go back to wherever they brought you."

"I have to help," Link said frantically. He didn't know how, or what he could do, but he needed to do something.

And Tirra's eyes lit up, though they dimmed just as quickly.

"What?" Link asked, noticing.

Tirra looked around to make sure no one was around. "Master Kos took Eagus to the Lumpy Pumpkin this morning. I don't think anyone's gone to tell them what's happening, otherwise they'd be here. We need them. Kos can stop this. I can't leave. They want all of us here. But you could take my Loftwing over and get them over here."

Link's eyes widened in fear at the thought. He shook his head, almost on instinct.

"Link, that's your friend in there. I have to go back in and help her. I can do that if you go to Kos. If I just stay here talking to you and they need me, something might happen to your friend. Can you do this, or can't you? I know about you and Loftwings…"

Link closed his eyes, seeing Zelda's head in her hands with tears down her cheeks. Karane was beside her, feeling that same fear. Gaepora was watching his daughter behind a sword. The knights were too busy. They were moving the students to places with supervision, in case there were more from that group.

"The Lumpy Pumpkin, Link. The Lumpy Pumpkin and back and Kos can get everyone out of there safely."

Taking a deep breath, Link nodded.

Tirra sighed in relief, looked one more time over her shoulder, and hurriedly pulled Link to the nearest jumping platform and whistled for her bird.

A massive Loftwing set its talons down beside Tirra and cawed happily, blissfully ignorant of the situation at hand. She soothed her bird and helped Link up. "Hold on here and direct him with your body. It'll feel natural, and he won't let you crash. Just go now."

She nodded once more to Link and turned away to hurry back to her place in the bazaar. And Link was left with a decision.

Could he do this?

He'd taken several long breaths, and then gently kicked the borrowed bird to urge it to move before it took off and dove through the sky, gaining immense speed and momentum as it angled downwards.

Link was sure this was it; this was the moment he'd pass out and die. He clung to the feathers, almost positive that he was hurting the poor bird, but there was nothing he could do to relax his grip. His breath caught and he fought back a horrible scream.

It was over in just a few minutes, though it felt like hours; the bird leveled out and coasted its way to the Lumpy Pumpkin, though it didn't calm Link much. As they soared, the irony of the situation wasn't lost on Link. He, the one most terrified of Loftwings, was the first one of his class to ride solo.

When the Loftwing landed, his feet barely moved. He had to grab his leg to force it over the bird's back so he could slide off and onto solid ground. It slowed his heart to a manageable pace, but he couldn't get his body to respond yet.

Pumm was outside with his young daughter, Kina. They both ran for Link to help him off the Loftwing. Pumm was nervous by just how much the boy was shaking.

"Are you alright? Are you even old enough to ride a Loftwing?"

Link shook his head. Of course he wasn't. He'd never planned to ride one in his life. And now, he had to do it all over again just to get back.

Pumm saw Link's expression and pushed Kina behind him protectively. "What's happening?"

Link took a deep breath. It'd been years since he talked to strangers alone. And when he had talked, it had been to people he felt comfortable with. Gaepora, Pipit's mom, his friends, Zelda, even Tirra. And she'd pushed him to start talking, to reach out at the Bazaar. He steeled himself. He could do this.

"I… Master Kos. There's an emergency. I need Master Kos."

Pumm nodded right away and ran inside, emerging moments later with Kos and Eagus in tow.

"Link?" Master Kos said with unhidden surprise. "What happened?"

"They took over the bazaar! They have swords," Link managed. Thankfully, it was all Kos needed to know to sprint off the island and onto his Loftwing as it swooped under him. Eagus followed without a glance back.

Link collapsed to the ground, his whole body shaking. He did it.

Pumm ran outside and grabbed onto Link. "Are you alright, son?"

Link struggled to speak, his body failing to help him do anything at the moment.

"Let me help you back onto the Loftwing."

Link's body shook, wishing for nothing more than to live in the Lumpy Pumpkin just so he didn't have to get back on that thing. But he had to get back.

Nodding, Link found his footing and gratefully accepted Pumm's help getting back onto the bird. He barely had time to mutter a thank you before the Loftwing stepped off the edge, leaving Link to cling to the feathers for dear life.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pretending he was just running so incredibly fast that he could fly until the bird touched down fairly close to Pipit's house. It took off into the sky once again, and Link debated returning to the bazaar, but he fell to his knees and retched, his nerves finally too much to handle. He couldn't stop himself from shaking, nor could he find the energy to stand.

But, as fate would have it, Mallara opened the door and breathed a heavy sigh when she saw Link, pressing her hand to her chest.

"Link, I was worried! What happened? Are you okay?"

Pipit and Fledge followed, and Pipit was visibly relieved that he didn't have to make up a story to cover for Link. "See? I told you he just stepped outside."

"Yes, but you didn't tell me he was sick. Come inside, Link. Come on, you're okay."

And as she led him in, Link could see Gaepora clutching Zelda to his side exiting the Bazaar. Karane was holding Zelda's hand, and those remaining inside began to leave as well. Out the other door, Kos and several older knights dragged the outer-island outlaws away, far from anyone else's prying eyes.

Tirra was one of the Knights, and her head turned for just a moment. She locked eyes with Link from afar, as if the Goddess had told her where to look for him, and she nodded her thanks to Link.

Maybe he did have some courage after all.

* * *

_A/N: I write these chapters out of order, and originally wrote this a few weeks ago before the coronavirus was a very real presence in everyday life. Originally, this chapter was about a chu-chu disease outbreak that was making everyone. I figured it would be best to change the premise last night to avoid the similarities. So, if the chapter is a little clunky and strange, that's because I fixed the entire thing after I realized that what I wrote was probably too close to home for some people right now. Like the plot is essentially the same as it was, but the random outlaw group was all I could think of to replace the outbreak. Next chapter is less weird because it won't need a last-minute rewrite. _

_LowTwilight__: Thank you! That's so awesome to hear! __Cosmo14__: Phew! I was really struggling to figure out how younger kids would act, but balanced out by the need for plotlines that actually help Link and Zelda grow into their SS characters. I'm glad I'm doing okay with that (for now haha!)_. RandomFF. netUser: Haha_haha very appropriate! And thank you so much! I'm always nervous that I'll accidentally start writing little 13-year-old Link like an old, wise Jedi knight or something. Groose will definitely be coming back soon! I love poor Fledge! The game even underused him by making his character little more than a Link fanboy rather than a friend. __GreenEggandHam__: Thanks! And no problem! I love replying! __Queen Emily the Diligent__: Thank you very much! I'm trying to keep his growth realistically slow, so I'm glad it's coming across that way!_


	7. For the First Time

**Chapter 6 (Age 14)**

Zelda found Link sitting under a tree, lounging casually and clearly daydreaming with an easy smile on his face. She was almost hesitant to disturb him.

But she needed to.

"Hey," she said, walking over. "Scoot."

Link made room for her beside him, though he was acutely aware of how little space she'd actually left him.

She smiled as she made herself comfortable. "Tell me everything."

Zelda finally turned to him and gasped. Her hand flew to his face, gently turning his chin to get a better look at the horrible purple bruise over his jaw. "What happened? Was it Groose? I'll kill him, I swear, I will. I'd do that for you, Link. I'd kill Groose."

Link chuckled and pushed her hand away. "Calm down you remlit, and put away your scary fangs. Eagus let me practice with him today."

"Eagus?" she said, perking up. She giggled and lowered her voice, mocking Link. "The one who graduated at the top of his class? The cooooolest Knight in all of Skyloft? The one you idolize more than the Goddess? _That_ Eagus?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Yes, _that_ Eagus. He got a few really good blows in. I can't really take a deep breath either."

"I tease, but you're really going to be at such an advantage against the rest of the class. Pipit definitely won't be able to beat you, and he's ahead by a year."

He nodded and held up his hand, stopping her from continuing about him. He knew she'd come over with a specific goal. That's why she woke him. "What about you? Tell me your news."

"Oh! Me? Well, it's not as cool."

"Tell me anyway."

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide her obvious excitement. "It took my father getting off the committee, but guess who gets to play the Goddess Hylia in the production of _A Goddess' Song_?"

Link's eyes lit up, and he pulled her into him, squeezing her. "You did it!"

"I did!"

"Why did you have to kick your father off the committee? You'd think he'd want you to play Hylia."

She pulled away, her face red. "First off, I didn't kick him off. I don't have that kind of power, even if I am…_ a Goddess_," she said, pausing and flipping her hair for dramatic effect. "No, he didn't want me to do it because it's a love story with the Goddess' Chosen Knight. You know? Besides, his vote was biased either way."

"Oh," Link said, still not understanding why he'd want to take a whole role away from his daughter for that. "Who's the Knight?"

Zelda smiled tightly, ready for Link's reaction. "It's… Jardon."

"Jardon?" Link said, sitting forward slightly. "Like graduating class Jardon? The one who's older than us by three years? The one who pulled that prank last year on your father and the other instructors? That Jardon?"

Zelda cleared her throat. "Yes, _that_ Jardon. And, as you might know- if you didn't sleep through history lessons- the Goddess and her Knight were... in love. So…"

Link waited for her to finish. She seemed hesitant.

With a resolved sigh, she closed her eyes. "So, they have to kiss."

Link's eyes widened and he cleared his throat, staring into The Sky. "Now I get why your father didn't want you to play the Goddess."

She could feel her face heating up more and more with every passing second. "Right. But Jardon knows what he's doing and… and I don't. So, I'm embarrassed. I don't want to look stupid."

"Practice on a pumpkin?" Link said, trying to keep it light. In reality, he felt harsh butterflies kicking him violently in the stomach.

"A pumpkin?" Zelda asked with a laugh, breaking the tension she'd begun to feel. She finally felt able to take a deep breath. "Actually, I was going to ask a favor from you and now seems like the best time."

"You want me to carry pumpkins?"

She whacked his arm. "Stop, I'm being serious."

Link sobered up and waited.

"I… okay, you can say 'no', but I really don't want my first kiss to be with a stranger."

Link waited for her to continue, but his eyes widened as he started to realize what she meant. "Oh..."

"You don't have to. I mean it. I wouldn't mind if Jardon was my first kiss. I mean… I know Karane wishes he was hers. So, it's not a big deal if you say no. I promise."

Link could feel his face heat up more quickly than he'd ever felt before. "You don't want to see if a real one happens with someone between now and then?"

Zelda narrowed her eyes at him. "A week? Link, I spend almost all my time with you, Karane, Pipit, and Fledge. I'm not thinking that's going to happen. Unless you're saying that within the week, you, Karane, Pipit or Fledge were planning to really kiss me?"

"No. No, that's not what I'm saying."

"Okay, then the odds are very unlikely... and you really can say no."

"No." He shook his head and grumbled, not meaning to say 'no' in that way. "Yes... Wait. You know that I have no idea what I'm doing either, right? I'm the quiet, weird one. It's not like I have anyone lining up to be with me."

Zelda crossed her arms. "You're not weird. And you could, you know. You are…" she stopped herself and cleared her throat, turning red once again as she carefully chose her words. "You're not ugly."

Link sniggered. "You inspire and flatter me." The weight of her compliment was almost lost on him. With a sigh, he was about to give her his answer when he stopped suddenly. "You're... not ugly either, you know. If you want to actually go find someone for something other than a play... you could, you know. Even an older classmate like _Jardon_." He couldn't help the distasteful tone he took with his last word.

With a rueful laugh, Zelda leaned against the tree. "Yeah. And my father _definitely wouldn't _be hiding in a bush watching me the entire time to make sure that didn't happen. If I ever went on a date with anyone, he'd follow me. Or he'd have me followed. I'd find Owlan conveniently waiting for me at every turn. I'm his little girl. If I was ever with someone, it would kill him. Truly. He'd die."

Link joined her against the tree, letting the wind tickle his face for a moment. "You can't let him stop you from living."

Zelda leaned her head against Link's shoulder, an old, familiar comfort. "Do you want to make a pact with me? If we both end up old and alone, we'll just marry each other and live together. We're best friends, so it wouldn't be so bad."

Tilting his head down against hers, Link smiled, though he was glad she couldn't see him. "It won't happen to you, but sure. When we're old and wrinkly, we'll get married, go out with a bang, and cause an uproar here before we both die."

"You made this depressing."

"You started it."

They both went silent, enjoying the solace of each other's company.

Link felt his body start to shake nervously, and he tried to push the thoughts from his mind. Instead, they came right to his mouth. "So, are we doing this right here where anyone can see us?"

"We… wait. You'll do it?"

"Only on the condition that we get married as old, lonely adults, yes."

Zelda laughed and grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. It might be terrible. I'll probably be bad at it and ruin everything for you and you'll wish you never asked me."

Zelda held her finger up, stopping him. "It could be the other way around. I'm willing to take the risk if you are."

He rolled his eyes, though the gesture was to hide his relief and anxiety. "What's life without a little risk?"

"Okay!" Zelda took a breath and looked around. "We can't here. You're right, someone could pop out. My father could come looking for me at any second and then kill us. We can't go inside either. Someone could see us. The cave would be perfect if it wasn't forbidden to non-knights."

Link looked around. She'd already vetoed most of the secluded places on the small island. "Behind the Goddess statue?"

"We'll look suspicious."

Link sighed. "You do know we hang out every day of our lives and it's not actually suspicious to see us together, right?"

"Goddess, you're right. We are together every day. I'm just a little nervous."

Link took a shuddered breath. He was too. "We'll say we're studying your lines."

"Wait," Zelda said, grabbing his arm. "New question! Will you actually help me study my lines, too?"

He chuckled softly. "Of course."

"Okay. Let's go."

The two scampered to the Goddess statue like thieves. Both checked the area for anyone who might be watching… or praying... before continuing, ducking quickly out of sight of any passersby.

"I think we're hidden," Zelda said, looking around again. "Okay. Okay. How do we do this?"

Link could suddenly feel himself getting cold feet as realization dawned on him: he was about to kiss his best friend. But, if she's just his best friend, someone he does everything with, why was he so nervous? Why was this different than anything else they'd done? "I thought you'd have a plan."

"N-no. Do I need a plan? Do people plan to kiss?" She stopped and let out a deep breath. "Oh Goddess, I don't have any reference point. I've never seen my parents kiss. Not really. Not that I remember anyway."

Link shrugged. "Me either, if that helps."

"No!" Zelda exclaimed with a nervous laugh. "Now we're both blind!"

"J-just lean in. Let's just do it. No plan."

"Right," she said, leaning her body towards him. Then she stopped. "Do we pucker our lips?"

"Do we what?" He cleared his throat, wishing he could sound less like a useless little kid. "I mean… I don't know?" Link ran a hand through his hair and started to pace. "What are they doing in the scene?"

Zelda closed her eyes. "He's… um… they're splitting up to fight the darkness. So it's a passionate kiss."

"A… we're just doing a normal one… right?"

"Shouldn't all kisses be passionate?"

Link cleared his throat. "I don't know. Do I look like someone who knows? You're asking me a lot of questions that I have no idea the answer to. We're practicing for a reason."

Zelda shook out her hands and gestured for Link to come back towards her. "Let's do this. You go right and I'll go… well, I guess we'll both go right so we don't bang noses."

Link snorted. "This is like doing a science project."

"Shut up."

Zelda planted her feet in front of Link and leaned forward awkwardly. Link mimicked her every move, waiting for her cue. She puckered her lips, and he, his. And as they neared each other, they both stopped short, staring at each other- and began to laugh.

They laughed together so hard, they had to kneel in the grass to keep from falling over.

"That was so awkward. We were staring at each other!" Zelda said between breaths, wiping a tear from her eye. "I think we need to close our eyes or something."

They continued to laugh. But Link felt something in his stomach, hard-hitting butterflies that threatened everything about him. He suddenly felt weak, his hands clammy and his heart racing. Hearing her laugh brought on a whole different feeling than it had moments ago. It was like a revelation, only it was something he'd already known.

His body moved instinctively, without forethought or planning. It was a swift, sudden movement. He didn't have to plan every step. It just happened.

He closed the large gap that had formed between them, tucking his hand behind her neck and pulling her towards him, closing his eyes as he tilted his head and brought his lips to hers. Her surprise had her slow to respond to him, but she felt her body react the way it instinctively knew how. There was no planning, no need for her brain to think of each step individually and reason the next one out. For the briefest moment, she felt her body relax into Link, but then he pulled away.

He was breathing heavily, as if the kiss had been more than innocent, but his heart hammered in his chest all the same.

"That…"

Zelda nodded, feeling the ghost of his lips on hers with her fingertips. "That was a good first kiss, right?"

Link nodded slowly. "Yeah it was. I think it was, anyway. It was more natural than I thought. I thought it would be a lot..."

"Weirder?"

Link chuckled, noticing her red, flushed skin. He imagined his was much the same. "Yeah, weirder. But it wasn't all that weird."

"Right? It wasn't!"

Zelda grabbed Link's hand and squeezed. "Thank you for doing that. I know it was a really strange favor." They could feel the other's hand shaking.

Link didn't want to admit that the favor was anything but forced on his part, so instead, he nudged Zelda with his shoulder. "Hey, you should eat some strawberries before your Goddess kiss, too."

Zelda's eyes widened. "You could… wait… what?"

Link chuckled and walked ahead of her so she couldn't see the massive smile that was spread across his face. "Nothing. Never mind."

* * *

A week had passed and the two met in their usual spot by the water to practice her line until she had them down. Pipit, Karane, and Fledge also joined. There was no more kissing, not with Link, anyway, and Zelda was glad that her first kiss hadn't been on stage during a rehearsal with a boy she hardly knew.

She'd studied her lines and practiced. She'd rehearsed every scene, every moment. She knew every line, but she felt incredible fear as she looked out at all of Skyloft. She ducked back behind the petition that was set up along the side of the Goddess statue as makeshift backstage. Her nerves were threatening to bring her to her knees. She looked at the others. They all looked fine, happy and excited even. But she couldn't translate her nerves into positive energy.

Her thoughts went back to Link's words to her: _"If you get nervous, just look at me. Forget Jardon. I'm the real hero, aren't I? I rehearsed all these lines with you. I even know his part. I mean… try to look at him, but I'm there if you need me."_

"Final costume check, Zelda."

Zelda snapped her head around, her hair whipping into the head-of-costumes, Priya.

"Sorry."

Priya shook her head dismissively and checked Zelda's long, flowing white dress one final time. It was a new take on the Goddess' simple white dress. This one was a bit more embellished, small patterns sewn into the top half of the dress. The sleeves weren't attached to the dress, but clung tightly midway down her arms until it bellowed out into a long trumpet sleeve. Priya adjusted the golden belt that clung midway around Zelda's torso and pulled the dress down, exposing a little more of Zelda's chest. She patted a golden harp that was tied to her belt, seeing that it was secure.

"Your hair looks good. Are your bangs pinned back tight?"

Zelda patted her hair, her bangs pulled back into a small poof on top of her head that gave some definition to her long, straight hair.

"Yeah."

"Great," she said, leaving Zelda.

She looked to see that Priya had gone and pulled the dress back up higher.

"Ready?" a voice asked, making her jump.

She turned to see Jardon, dressed in a green tunic, red scarf, and a blonde wig to cover his brown hair.

"Yeah."

"You look great."

Zelda nodded absently, staring in horror at the stage. Nerves began to rush through her.

Jardon nudged her. "Hey, you'll be great. Come on, take my hand. We're starting."

Karane moved to Zelda's other side and put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Break a leg."

"You too."

Karane nodded and pulled at the loose fabric of her ill-fitting Knight's uniform before stepping out onto the stage.

The audience applauded as the show began before quieting, letting Karane speak.

"Once, a war of unmatched ferocity raged through the Great Surface below the clouds. A tear in the grounds below the feet of the Surface Dwellers unleashed untold horrors, a blight on the world that was far greater than anything any had seen before. Though the brave Surface Dwellers fought back, it was a hopeless endeavor, and many lives were lost. The Surface itself suffered the casualties of war, drying lakes and scorching forests until the land was un-survivable.

"The horrors that were unleashed on the Surface Dwellers was all done in Evil's name to take the ultimate power from Her Grace, the Goddess. The power she guarded was without equal, and her sworn and sacred duty was to protect it, with her life, if need be. The Old Gods trusted her to keep it safe. But Evil hands had a lust for its power. The Goddess only knew one way to protect the great power. She sent her most loyal subjects onto an outcropping and cast it skyward, saving her people and protecting the power. She saved as many as she could, sending them into the sky beyond the clouds.

"Fighting beside her was her trusted knight, a hero who was willing to die in her service. Together, they brought down the darkness…"

Jardon squeezed Zelda's hand and they ran on the stage, out of breath from 'running'.

"Your Grace," he said, kneeling. "We must get you out of here. They will be upon us soon."

Zelda froze for a moment, her eyes scanning the crowd until she saw Link in the very back, watching her intently. She cleared her throat and looked back at Jardon, but seeing Link in his place.

"No. No, my people are back there. I will not abandon them."

"Your Grace, you must protect the power. The people… I will protect them."

"The power is safe for now. I must fight with those here."

"Your Grace…"

Zelda knelt in front of Jardon. "I understand why you worry, but you mustn't. My life was meant to lead here, to this moment." In a swift motion that Zelda hadn't been able to execute well, she grabbed one of the swords from Jardon's belt and stood before him with it pointed under his chin. It wasn't a threat, but a call to arms. And for a moment, she felt something inside her stir, something that was beyond words. Like she'd lived this moment before. Not rehearsed… _lived. _She shook the feeling and continued with her lines. "I will fight for my people. Will you fight for your Goddess?"

Jardon stood up and removed his other sword, the one told to be from legends, though their prop looked eerily similar to her own. "I will." The two nodded and ran off stage, toward the 'battle.'

Karane watched and waited until they were off to continue with her own lines.

"The Goddess rejoined her people in the battle for the Surface. And her people fought with every ounce of their strength."

At that, several of the older knights came out, some dressed as monsters, and others as normal people and fought in an impressive sword fighting demonstration of their skills.

Zelda used the time to breathe. She couldn't even bother herself to see what they were doing, though she normally loved watching the display, which was always different.

Jardon ran on to do a featured fight, one Zelda knew she would follow. _Deep breaths. Deep breaths. _

When Jardon felled his opponent, Karane spoke again.

"The Goddess' Chosen Knight fought with valor, clearing the path forward for him and the Goddess. But they knew what waited at the end. Evil."

Zelda ran out on stage and pulled Jardon by the arm, stopping him. "This may be our last moment together. But know that it will only be in this life. If we should separate, we will find each other in the next life."

Jardon nodded. "Whether it be tomorrow, or thousands of years from now, I trust that we will find each other again, Hylia."

Zelda steeled herself as he bent toward her. She closed her eyes, as she had done in rehearsal, but she pictured Link, behind the statue, surprising her with a gentle, and completely natural kiss. And she felt her lips respond. Then, Jardon pulled away and she was left back in the play, rather than with Link.

"Come, Your Grace. Let's finish this."

She stayed behind Jardon as the team came out with a massive, dark puppet that was controlled by several others. It was the embodiment of Evil, and it was actually fairly frightening.

Jardon had a staged fight with the Evil before being felled and knocked to the ground.

Karane spoke as they all froze in place. "The Great Evil was consumed by hatred, lust, and greed. The hero could not defeat it, and he was left injured on the ground. It was all up to the Goddess."

Zelda moved again, but she experienced the same sensation she had before. She was not seeing a puppet, but a massive creature with flaming red hair, towering over her with a dark and sinister grin of triumph on his face. Zelda turned and saw her Knight, lying in a bloodied ball on the ground. She was in a large, spiraled pit, and she was alone.

"The power is neither of ours," she said, though her voice was that of someone older, wiser, more ethereal than her own. "I am a guardian. And you are a threat. I've put it so far beyond your reach, you'll never manage to get to it. You've lost. Your war on my people is for naught. You're a failure, Demise, and you always will be; the power is never going to be yours."

Zelda could still feel herself on stage, saying her lines, but her mind was no longer present as she was seeing the event herself, like a memory or a dream. She knew that their puppet was called 'Evil'. She didn't know what 'Demise' was, or why she was thinking about it.

"Foolish girl," Demise roared. "You underestimate my patience."

"You underestimate mine. I will stop you at every turn. Every time you think it is within your reach, I will be there to guard it. And you will lose."

In a roar of rage, knowing that Hylia would never stop either, he swiped a beastly claw at her, knocking her to the ground. She raised her hand and let out a beam of light that encapsulated Demise, pulling him into the ground and holding him. She turned and called forth a small pedestal with markings on it, something Zelda couldn't read quickly enough.

She was vaguely aware of the fog, and the special mirror effects that the crew was using to make her seem as though her power and Evil's were real, but her mind wouldn't shake free of the realistic version. She could feel time changing in her mind. The two struggled for the upper hand in a power battle far longer than their scene lasted on stage, but at last, she sent out a final burst of energy and buried Demise into the ground, sealing him away with the pedestal before collapsing to the ground.

There was more… she knew there was more… but her body became her own again, and she was left listening to Karane's words, the puppet collapsed in a heap on the ground.

"The Goddess defeated Evil and joined her people in the sky, where she watches over us still."

Zelda left the stage as others filed on.

"Today, we honor her and her sacrifice. We remember the Surface, and the uninhabited remains that were left in the wake of war. We seek peace, as we, Her guardians, look over the place where she stored her power. We are her power, and we honor her. Today is Her Day, and yearly, tributes are made to this statue in hopes that she keeps her favorable gaze on us. We are her chosen people. And she is our chosen Goddess."

At that, the audience began to clap, roared, really. The effects and the costumes this year had been far more intense than any past year, and the audience was eager to acknowledge it.

The Knights took the stage to bow, and the audience's steady applause continued as they knew each player would come out for a bow. Then, the puppeteers. Karane took a bow next before stepping to the side for Jardon. Applause got slightly more intense for him. And then Zelda followed with her own bow.

She was the lead, and she was told to expect a standing ovation and loud cheers. It happened every year to anyone playing the Goddess. But what she didn't expect was who the loudest cheers came from.

Link stood on his seat and let out a loud whoop for her before whistling loudly as his claps echoed through the small space. She knew he'd become more comfortable, but to hear him shout so loudly in front of all Skyloft?

Though, Zelda had to cringe for a moment when she realized that the second loudest cheers were coming from Groose. But even over that, she could hear Link's excited whistling. Zelda beamed, holding in her laughter before taking a final bow with the cast and crew.

She raced behind the petitions and hiked up her long dress so she could move quicker as she made for the back row of seats.

Without a moment's hesitation, or warning, she threw herself into Link's arms, and he picked her up with ease, waiting for her to come out anyway, as he swung her from side to side.

"You did incredible!"

"I couldn't have done it without your help."

Link frowned. "This is your achievement, not mine. I didn't do anything, you did. This is all you, and you were fantastic. I wouldn't be surprised if they want you to be the Goddess forever."

She shook her head and dramatically placed her hand over her heart. "The nerves, Link. I don't think I could face those nerves a second time. It would have to be a really special occasion for me to want to play the Goddess again."

"Well," Gaepora said, waking over to the two. "I guess I didn't get the first hug?"

Zelda let go of Link and hugged her father. "You were too far in the front. I wasn't going to push through everyone or jump off the stage."

Gaepora nodded. "Mhmm. Well, Zelda, you were truly a sight to behold. And you look the part. You look every bit a Goddess. My Zelda, I am so proud of you. That took bravery and dedication. I'm not only proud as your father, but… also as your new headmaster."

Zelda's eyes widened. "You got it? You're going to be headmaster? Father!" She jumped into his arms again and laughed. "I'm so happy for you!"

"It is a happy day, isn't it?"

Zelda turned to Link, to see if he offered his agreement. But she saw him watching her with a look she'd never seen from him before. But she'd seen it before in the eyes of Hylia's Chosen Knight. And it wasn't a look she could easily forget.

* * *

_A/N: Fun fact! This was based on a true story that I witnessed unfold during rehearsal for a show once. The guy was so upset that he had to kiss a girl he didn't know that he ran over to his cousin, kissed her, and then ran back onstage and kissed his scene partner. Very interesting day. Can't make that stuff up. But hey! Now we get awkward teens with crushes on each other! And I've learned that I was never meant to write a play. Just pretend it was actually long._

_Reviews! __RandomFF .netUser__: I'm so glad you didn't notice! It was a pretty hasty plot re-write, even going off my standards (which is usually rushing to finish a chapter after procrastination). But thank you! __James Birdsong__: Thank you! Good to see you in another fic! __Cosmo14__: First off, thanks for your reviews on my other fics. They made my day! But yeah, I figured there was no one else Link would face his worst fears for, probably not even for himself. By this chapter, Zelda's definitely starting to realize there's something going on between them, even if she's not totally sure yet. Peatrice will return later! I don't think I have plans for her right away, but she will definitely be back! And thanks! I tried to think of it as peaceful, but with some small level of crime, since nowhere is perfect. __Draegor__: Thank you! Looking forward to writing more!_


	8. Something New

**Chapter 7 (Age 14)**

"Move your feet!"

Master Kos was getting frustrated. Link's wooden blade clashed against Pipit's for the hundredth time. The two boys showed so much promise, but neither could get out of their own heads.

Link had a natural talent, but he focused too hard on restraining himself. He would be perfect if he ever needed to be put into a true combat situation. He threw himself into every situation with too much energy and momentum. If Pipit were hurt, it wouldn't be the first time Link had injured a student. He tried to restrain himself, but that wasn't what he needed. He didn't need restraint, but discipline. He had to be able to recognize when to strike, where, and when to defend. Link was an offensive fighter through and through, one day, Kos was sure Link's skill would match even Eagus'. Master Kos watched Link step expertly, as if he'd been born fighting and he'd learned to walk with a sword in hand.

But Pipit was the exact opposite. He wasn't aggressive enough, but he was determined and skilled. He knew when and where to strike, but just as importantly, how to block and parry. His defense was excellent. Master Kos almost hated pairing the two up for a fight because he knew how long they lasted against the other. Link would tire, or Pipit would be defeated by a flurry of incessant attacks. But rarely did they lose their swords, a class rule that the fight needed to end for safety.

Eagus had begun to shadow Master Kos. Though Eagus was on patrols in the Sky constantly, he found himself most at home in the training room, and that's where he and his sister spent most of their time when they were on Skyloft. Though he had many opinions, he never voiced them unless Kos asked, not wanting to usurp the power from the swords master.

The two student swordsmen watched on as Link and Pipit sparred. They'd sectioned off the room after some time so the others could also use the space and get their training in. Karane sparred with Cawlin on the other side of the room. Kos flicked his attention toward them. Karane was a good fighter, but she was exactly where she was meant to be at her age. She wasn't advanced, nor was she behind. The only problem with that was that the rest of her class was behind her. Groose, Cawlin, Stritch, and Fledge all were sub-par fighters. Except for Fledge, who often yielded his fights, they were all talk but never had the experience to back it up. Groose was too focused on impressing those watching him, while Cawlin and Stritch could barely hold a sword without bumbling around. It left Karane without a suitable partner to practice with. If he pulled someone from the other class, where Pipit was, they'd be too advanced. But if he took the new students who'd just joined, she'd be far too superior.

Kos looked beyond the fighters and saw Zelda hovering in the doorway. It was often that she'd stop by. He could see just from her demeanor that this wasn't her kind of life. She'd carry books and notepads inside at times to watch and work at the same time. But even if he didn't like her being in the room as a spectator, she was the new Headmaster's daughter. What would he say?

Kos had liked the old Headmaster, but his declining health left a majority of the workload on Gaepora. It wasn't a shock when he'd been chosen to succeed his predecessor. He only hoped that Gaepora listened to his advice more closely than the past Headmasters had. Patrols needed to be changed. It wouldn't be long until the Leviathan migration and several other events that required careful planning. Routes needed to be altered. He needed to be heard.

That was something Kos was good at.

"Your footwork, Pipit! You aren't moving fast enough! Link! You're not fighting for your life, so there's no need to act like it! Pipit is your friend; try not to kill him." He turned his attention to the other group. "Karane! Bend your knees! That's no fighting posture! And Cawlin! Put that sword up! You're not here to cower in fear!"

Eagus chuckled, but Kos gave him a sour look.

He turned back to his students. "Do you consider yourselves to be future Knights of Skyloft? I don't see anyone worthy of the title here. You're never going to become Knights if you can't get the basics! It's fundamentals, class. You have to know the building blocks before you can actually _build_ anything. It's about practice! And with that, class is dismissed. Put the weapons away and come back here tomorrow remembering that you are only in your first few years of combat training and you do not know everything, so do not pretend to!"

Link patted Pipit on the shoulder, a job well done. Both fought well, and they knew it.

Pipit felt a surge of jealousy. He knew Link was gifted in this area, and he had the drive and determination to make him a fantastic knight, but Pipit wanted to be better than Link. He _should _be better than Link. He'd been doing this longer, he was older, there was no reason that he shouldn't be able to take Link down quickly. And it bothered Pipit, though he wished it didn't.

As for Link, nothing bothered him. He was exactly where he wanted to be. If he could have stayed in Master Kos' class all day, he'd have been elated. He was extra excited when it was a day that Eagus visited.

Link still trained with Eagus, but it wasn't nearly as often as Link would have liked. He wished Eagus wasn't assigned to the outer Sky, but to a more local post. But truly, Link would never actually wish that on Eagus. The outer Sky was an honor. It was something Link should hope to one day be assigned. But, of course, that would require flying, and that's not something Link ever planned on doing.

"You all did great," Zelda said, hustling over to Link, Pipit, and Karane. Fledge was beside her, but the three fighters were out of breath and unable to respond.

"Link?" Eagus said, running to catch up quickly with the group.

Link stopped and turned, waiting for Eagus to speak, but it was clear that he was waiting for the others to step outside. When they finally did, Eagus' face turned serious.

"Listen, Link, you have a real talent. I'd hate to see you waste it. You're all going to be getting Loftwing riding lessons soon, and I really think you should try it. I _know_, before you tell me about your mom... I know… but this is a chance to be great. You can redeem her memory by becoming someone that Skyloft needs. Explore the outer Sky with me. Get on a Loftwing."

There was a hard silence between them for a long moment before Link finally cleared his throat and gestured to the door. "I have to go to my next class."

Eagus was one of the people Link had been speaking with regularly, so he and Master Kos weren't surprised to hear him strike up a conversation with them. There were a few others who were still amazed to hear the "silent child" speak. And Eagus watched Link slowly return to back into that boy as he walked out the door and away from the Loftwing conversation once again.

"He's in for it," Eagus said, turning to Master Kos with a disappointed, yet wry grin.

* * *

Link jogged up beside his friends as they headed outside and towards the main square of Skyloft for their next lesson. It had been deemed "a surprise," but it wasn't hard to guess that it would have to do with Loftwings. They never went out of the Academy for a lesson. It was karmic punishment, Link realized, for not answering Eagus.

And sure enough, there was Instructor Owlan standing beside one of the massive birds. It was a greyish color and looked almost bored, as if it had done this lesson a thousand times and was now sick of appearing before a large crowd.

Owlan cleared his throat as the first and second years gathered around.

"Settle down, everyone. Now, as you are all aware, Loftwings are our main form of transportation across the sky. Though there are some less reliable methods, such as our dear Beedle's floating shop, this is the only true way to traverse the Sky. Second years, you're about to begin an incredible friendship and bond with a Loftwing. It will choose you, and you, in turn, will also choose your Loftwing. You are a mutual pair. Remember that. You are not keeping a pet; this is no Remlit.

"First years, you are about to learn the basic knowledge and understandings that you will need to move forward in the future. You will begin with the theory of flying this year, and you will learn all you can by watching and experiencing at a safe and supervised location. Second years, you will finally learn to fly solo before your test at the end of the year that will allow you the freedom to ride your Loftwing at will."

Link was listening, but that was a mere courtesy to Owlan. There was no way he was getting on one of those things. But he could see Zelda in front of him grab on to Karane in excitement, bouncing, even. It made him smile, despite himself. He'd always liked seeing Zelda happy, but he had the feeling that something was different about him. Pipit didn't smile whenever Zelda did, and neither did Fledge. And if they did, it was because she'd been talking to them, not because they thought she had a contagious sort of happiness.

Link felt Pipit elbow him, and he looked up. "What?"

"You should try just sitting on it, or something. I want to be the best Knight, but it means I have to beat you at everything."

Link scoffed. "Try beating me in a fight first."

"Cocky. You're still a year behind me. I go easy on you."

With a smirk, Link just nodded his head.

The two looked up and tried to listen to where Owlan was in his explanation.

"... though the most common color is a dark grey. We believe this is because…"

Link glanced to his other side where Fledge was.

Fledge looked back at him with a hesitant smile. "I won't try to get you to fly if you don't try to make me."

With a nod, Link chuckled softly. "I like that deal."

But Link's attention was quickly diverted to a blob of pink and yellow appearing in front of him so fast that he barely had time to process that it was Zelda.

"Are you going to talk this whole time? I never thought I'd wish for the days when you were _quiet_." She wasn't serious, but she also wasn't afraid to call him out. She wanted to do this one day, to lecture, and he thought that she was getting in some good practice now.

In recent months, Link had found that his level of confidence in himself had gone up. Perhaps it was all the fights he was winning in class, or even his save with the Loftwing last year. Normally, he'd duck his head and quiet down, letting Zelda win easily, but today he was feeling different about everything.

"You know, _Princess_, you're doing a lot more talking just by yelling at me."

Zelda made a face. "What did you just call me? 'Princess?' Is that even a word?"

"It is," he said, defending himself quickly, though realization dawned on him that he'd never heard that word before in his life. What did it even mean? What was… princess?

Zelda scowled. "Use it in a sentence."

"I just did," he countered.

"Link, Zelda, am I boring you?" Owlan said drably. He was used to the unruly chatter of other students, but those two were the last on his list to make a ruckus during his lesson.

Zelda spun around quickly. "No, Instructor."

"Good," he said, eyeing Link with a cautionary look, "As I was saying, you can see that there are several large spaces between the feathers here where…"

"Hey, Stritch, weird that the boy with no tongue is talking to everyone, huh?"

Link rolled his eyes at the sound of Groose's voice. He was thankful that Zelda had returned her attention wholey on the lecture, or she surely would have gotten involved.

"Yeah, Boss. Didn't think he could talk to anyone other than his girlfriend."

Groose didn't like that and turned to Stritch with a finger raised in warning. "Hey, she is not his girlfriend. But I did expect her to be a little smarter than being friends with such a loser, especially when old Groose is right here."

"_Yuk yuk,_" Cawlin chuckled. "Yeah! She should have chosen you over that loser."

This time, Groose spun on him. "She hasn't chosen anybody!"

With a long sigh, Owlan stopped his lecture again. "Groose, Cawlin, Stritch, please quiet yourselves."

Fledge leaned closer to Link. "Don't even listen to them. You know they're just bullies. They're going to talk about all of us."

Link gritted his teeth, looking away from Groose with great effort. "For years I haven't said anything. I've been listening and ignoring people for too long. It's time I start responding."

Fledge grabbed Link's arm, stopping him from moving. "Don't. Not here. Beat him in the Sparring Hall. Don't fight him."

Link scoffed. "Then he better not say another word about me or you guys."

"It seems that the lecture portion of today's lesson is boring for most of you, though I'd have thought a Loftwing would have piqued your interest," Owlan said, this time glaring at Fledge. "Only one of you has ever ridden a Loftwing solo, and even then, he didn't have the necessary training to truly control the bird." Link felt himself redden as all eyes turned to him. His escapade almost a year ago was well-known. Owlan continued, "Flying is not as simple as it looks. Next year, you will begin your assisted flying lessons, but this year, you must learn the theory behind them. There are rules: if you fly together on one bird or with many, if you fly higher or closer to the clouds, the side you pass rocks on, how to maneuver around others. These are the things we will be learning before you attain your own Loftwings, but especially before we allow you to ride alone on one. So please, try to listen to the lecture or you'll never find yourself on one."

"Fine by me," Link muttered to no one in particular.

But it was that comment that pushed Owlan over the edge.

"Link. Come up to the front."

Link's eyes widened and he could hear Groose snickering at him. His stomach turned, but he forced his feet to move. With all eyes on him, he had to at least pretend that this wasn't a nightmare he'd had before.

Link stood as far from the Loftwing as the space allowed.

Owlan looked at the boy, realizing how _small_ he still was, despite his deceptive appearance, and how he shrank back into himself, making himself even smaller. This boy, the one who had made so much progress since he'd known him, was regressing before his eyes.

Though he'd intended to be harsh and make a point about talking in class, he realized that he should be celebrating Link talking in class, if nothing else. But now, he'd brought the boy to the front. Sending him back would cause just as much, if not more, damage than making his point.

"Link," Owlan said, deciding that, as a teacher, he couldn't allow the constant talking over his lecture. "When you rode the Loftwing in the past, how did you get up? Could you demonstrate."

Link's eyes went to the ground, and his mouth stayed closed. He could hear Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch laughing. There was no way to drown them out. The only way out of this was to get it over with.

"I didn't get up on my own," he muttered, so low that Owlan struggled to hear.

"That's fine. You aren't expected to know how yet. That's what these lessons are meant to teach. You must all listen so next year, you won't be left in a panic when you try it out yourselves. Link, you may return."

Before Link could take another step and be watched the entire walk back, Owlan brought himself closer to the bird and hoisted himself onto its back with grace and fluidity that could only have been helped by his flowing robes. It was done easily, quickly, and it got the attention of the class.

"This is something you will be able to do in just a few months. And after that, you will be able to call a Loftwing from the sky. And a few more months after that, you will be eligible to have your own Loftwing. You have to start on the ground before making it into the sky."

Link's spirit had been markedly dragged down, but Owlan's words reminded him of Master Kos'. There were building blocks to everything. And he knew that to be a Knight, he would have to know how to fly, even if it was only in theory. So, crossing his arms, he shrank back and listened, ignoring any whispers that were aimed his way.

* * *

Later that day, Link could feel the brush of the wind through his hair as he laid in the grass, staring out into the clouds of the Sky. It was calming to watch them roll by. He'd gotten into the habit of trying to imagine himself soaring across the blue backdrop on the back of a Loftwing, but the thought often left him shaken. Still, he tried to picture it, hoping that one day, it would lose its power over him. But today was not that day. Today, he could still see himself falling off, plummeting towards the clouds below.

A body thumped down beside him, and he could feel the tickle of hair brush against his arm. He didn't need to look to know it was Zelda. There was just something about her… something that emanated off of her, letting him know she was there. Not literally, of course, but it often felt that way.

They were silent for a long time, not needing words to just bask in the presence of the other. It was calming, an effect that they often had on each other.

After some time, he could feel her eyes on him, but he didn't dare turn his head.

It was a mistake to ignore her.

He felt all of the air rush out of him as something hard crushed his stomach. It was impossible to ignore her now as she rested her arms on his stomach, as if she were casually lounging against a table with her head in her hands. Her elbows were digging into him, and he gasped out a deep breath.

"Zelda, get off!" he tried.

"No, not until you perk up. I don't like seeing you like this. It wasn't that bad, I swear. I'd tell you if people were talking, and then we'd go beat them up together."

It was hard for him to laugh when he was being crushed by half her weight. There was no way to take in enough air to laugh out and his voice was strained.

"Sure, Princess, go beat Groose up."

Zelda took some of her weight off of him, seeing his real struggle, but she refused to give him enough space to get away. Instead, she spread her weight out by throwing more of herself onto his chest rather than his abdomen.

He grunted as she did, but he did little more than roll his eyes. He'd gotten used to Zelda's quirks by this point, and using herself as a human paperweight was unsurprising. In fact, he felt oddly reassured that she'd go through the trouble of trying to cheer him up. Not like it was the first time he's had to deal with Groose in class. But then again, she _was _always there for him.

She rested her hand against her cheek, causing Link to twitch as her elbow pressed down more firmly against him. "You used that weird word again. Are you just going to call me 'Princess' from now on? What even is it? And please, don't make me look it up, because I will."

"You're giving me a bruise," he groaned, pushing her elbow.

"Whoops, sorry," she said, moving again.

"I don't know what it means. I made it up. I thought it was a word, like I've heard it before but I don't know what it means, but I don't know."

"It sounds nice for a potentially made up word. Not like... hrmmm... like "Hilmfigre". That just sounds stupid. I'm going to look up 'Princess' later, see if maybe it actually is real."

He let out a deep breath. "Not right now? You're killing me."

She scoffed. "You're being a wimp, Link. I'm not crushing you."

He laughed, finally feeling the memories of class fade away. "You know, you're not keeping me down either, right? I could push you off, but I'm being nice, unlike _some _people."

Zelda made a noise of dismissal and took it as a challenge. She moved to pin his shoulders down with as much force as she could.

He groaned again, but it was laced with a laugh. "Okay, fine!"

Using his newly developed strength, he was able to lift his shoulder under her weight and it gave him enough leeway to move his hand. He wrapped it around her and used the momentum to spin them so Zelda was against the grass, and he was hovering over her. Her look of surprise had him laughing hard. She truly had thought she was keeping him down.

But as she joined in his laughter, he could suddenly imagine himself leaning down and kissing her again. It wasn't the first time he'd pictured it. Usually, it was when she was as close as she is now and he could see himself just moving forward by an inch. He wanted to.

_This is your best friend, _he thought to himself. _Stop thinking about her any other way. The kiss was practice so she could feel better in the play. It didn't mean anything, so get it out of your head!_

Which is why he rolled himself off to the side and sat up.

She turned to him with a judgmental look. Her hair was sticking out, and Link was almost sure he could see a leaf stuck in it. Zelda narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "You have an unfair advantage, you know."

He watched her stand, brushing herself off. "You had your chance to join up with us. It's not my fault you have no muscle on you."

"Unlike you, who is so unfairly..." she trailed off, looking him over once before making a wild, almost confused gesture with her hands. "Well, I might reconsider joining the Knights after that sad demonstration of mine," she joked.

Link stood, pulling down his bunched up tunic, and followed behind her as they headed up the Academy steps.

"Don't worry, I'd still want you in my corner in a fight. You're scary when you want to be."

She turned and grinned broadly at him, like it was the best compliment anyone could have given her. "Thank you! I try."

"Zelda," Link called before she reached the door. She turned expectantly, though he hesitated before speaking. "Thank you."

Her mouth twitched up in a small smile that lit up her eyes before heading through the door.

_Goddess, _he thought as she walked out of his sight, _She really __is__ going to kill me. _

* * *

_A/N: You might think that being home all the time would give you some writing inspiration, but I hit such a writers block with this one! I didn't even think I was going to be able to get it to my usual word count! I did, but I was really lacking content for a few days. I might be able to do a double post next week because I almost finished the next chapter and it's a little different anyway, so we'll see if I can finish it. _

_Reviews: PennyForYourThoughts024: Thank you very much! RandomFF. netUser: Haha that's good to hear! Sometimes I'm the only one who thinks I'm funny, so it's great to know I'm not alone with my own writing! GreenEggandHam: Thank you and thank you for reading! Queen Emily the Diligent: I love it. That's actually a really cute story! I was a nervous wreck (and have no idea how I managed years of theater), so I was really thankful I never had to kiss some stranger on stage hahaha! Green Swordsman: Link is like a little turtle who just needs a carrot in front of him to come out of his shell! I think that's what turtles eat. I've never had one. Maybe a bad analogy then? Hahaha! But thank you! Draegor: Hahaha you're setting a high bar *sweats profusely*! But thank you! That was one thing I really hoped worked in this chapter, so I'm glad to hear it did. Cosmo14: Thank you! I can safely say that both the visions and her waking him up will happen in upcoming chapters. I think that's iconic Zelda. But yeah, I liked the idea that his are more outwardly obvious because the fic mostly follows him instead of Zelda, but also because he's the more shy one, so it was a nice contrast to the outgoing one being the more obvious. I fall into that "absent parent" trap really easily, so I actually did have a note about Gaepora having something to say at some point, though it might not happen the way you'd expect!_


	9. The Truth in Dreams

**Chapter 8 (Age 15)**

Link sat up with a start at the light, but incessant, tapping on his door. He turned to Pipit, who was groggily rubbing his eyes and sitting up in just as much surprise and confusion. Link slid off the bed and adjusted his shirt before going to open the door. When he did, he was ill prepared for the body that crashed into him.

Zelda threw her arms around him and held him tight. Link instinctively returned her embrace, and hurriedly closed the door. Already, he could hear her breathing rapidly, too fast for any normal person. Her body shook in his arms, every muscle spasming at a rate that caused her to lose full control. He walked backwards to his bed so that Zelda had a place to sit if she needed it. Her legs had to be shaking, but it was the sheer force of her tightly wrapped arms that held her up.

"Zelda? What's wrong? What happened?" Link repeated again and again. But Zelda seemed to be in a trance, unhearing and unresponsive.

Link turned to Pipit again, though the other boy was just as clueless as to what to do. Link was about to tell Pipit to get Zelda's father, for fear that something was truly and physically wrong with her when she let out the shakiest of breaths.

"You're alive."

Link had to process that those were her words. "I'm… yes?"

She shook her head. "I watched you… die. I held you. Your blood was on my arms."

His head was groggy, and the panic on her face took a solid moment to sink in. "It was just a dream," he said, trying to be comforting. "You're fine."

"No," Zelda said, pulling away. She held out her arm and there was a small patch of blood. "It was real! It happened. You were… we were… and then… ugh, I can't explain. Nothing seems real when the words come to me, but it happened. I felt everything. Physically, I felt everything. And it _wasn't _a dream." She stared at the blood on her arm, though it was hard to stay focused with her body shaking so hard.

Link had to admit, she was more shaken than he'd ever seen her. "Perhaps you had a bloody nose and your brain turned that into a dream?"

In the face of the insane claim she was making, that somehow the blood from a dead body who was actually alive from a dream had gotten on her arm, she nodded slowly. "That might be possible." But her entire body fought the logic. It screamed at her saying she was right.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Link asked gently, grabbing her by the wrist. Her fingers brushed against his skin several times, reveling in the warmth, the _life_ that was in them, before mimicking his gesture and grabbing his other wrist. She could feel his pulse, his living, breathing heartbeat.

She looked over at Pipit, who was watching on with concern. "I'm sorry to have bothered you both. I didn't even really realize it was late. No, I don't need to talk about it."

Link glanced back at Pipit as well before Link grabbed the long blanket off his bed and folded it over his arm. "I'm going out." He looked at Zelda with a deliberate expression. "Care to join?"

Zelda smiled and nodded, pulling down the sleeves of her long sweater and hugging her arms comfortingly close to herself.

Link grabbed a loose, long-sleeved sweater off the end of his bed and pulled it over his head. He turned back to Pipit. "Cover for me?"

Pipit was still watching Zelda with concern. Though everyone had snuck into each other's rooms at night to hang out, he'd never seen Zelda burst in, shaken to the core. "Yeah, of course. Go."

Link turned to Zelda, grabbing her arms so her attention was on him rather than in her own mind. He grinned, his easy smile calmed Zelda somewhat. He gestured first to the window, then to the door. "Do we go the easy way, or the hard way?"

Zelda chuckled, feeling enough air to finally take a breath and looked around. "I think we took the window last time and it was awful, so let's try the hard way this time."

Pipit said, laid his head back down. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Zelda turned to go, and Link caught Pipit's eye one last time, a look of concern passing between both of them.

Link and Zelda crept to the door and cracked it open an inch, peeking out to make sure there were no stragglers roaming the halls. When they were sure it was clear, they both snuck out and closed the door quietly behind them. The stairs were the hardest part of sneaking out. Some of them had a habit of creaking rather loudly.

Link wrapped the blanket over his head to crudely disguise himself, and they both took their time, taking each step with deliberate precision. Link knew that he had to be careful. There were punishments for any boy on the girls floor after dark unless someone needed an instructor. With the instructors close enough to hear anything that might go on on the second floor, it was often impossible to sneak around the floor. The girls didn't have such limitations with the first floor. It was hard to enforce the strict policy when all of the instructors were not on that level, and the kitchen had to remain open at all times for anyone needing a late-night snack. But the downstairs door was locked with a newer lock and the door creaked like a warning bell whenever it was opened. The door upstairs was old but still maintained properly, and it was easily picked from the inside and the outside.

Careful to avoid the worst areas of the squeaky floor, they made it to the door. Zelda was the master locksmith of the two. Link was the kind of person who needed a key, or a locked door would remain locked forever… even if his life depended on it.

Zelda got them outside quickly, and they closed the door. Zelda locked it again so there wouldn't be suspicion when the instructors unlocked everything in the morning. She had no intention of going back to sleep in there tonight. Not when closing her eyes meant there was a chance she'd dream of _that _again.

Once the air hit their faces, Link pulled the blanket off and turned to Zelda. She looked as ghostly pale as she had in his room, her eyes already unfocused.

"What happened?" Link tried again.

Zelda shook her head. "I'll tell you when we sit down."

Link didn't press her, but he could see that she was still shaking. She hurried over to the stairway and rushed up the steps toward the statue of the Goddess, Hylia. Though they preferred their place by the water, this was where they could go for privacy. A small space behind the Goddess Statue offered that _and_ a magnificent, unobstructed view of the sky.

Link sat down and leaned back against the statue, and Zelda joined beside him, so close that there was no space between their arms. But that's what Zelda needed: to be constantly aware that Link was here and alive. Link threw the blanket over both their laps and waited.

It took some time, but Zelda finally let out a long breath. "Have you ever had a dream so real that you were convinced it was true?"

Link nodded but didn't want to risk interrupting her.

She continued. "It wasn't even close to that, Link. In nightmares, I feel frightened, but that's all. I can't feel anything physically. I wake up, breathe a few times and maybe have a walk around the Academy. Then I can go back to sleep because I realized that it was just a dream. But this wasn't like that.

"I was someplace strange, not on Skyloft or an island. That was another odd thing. I rarely dream about places that I haven't seen before. There were trees everywhere. I mean, Link, you can't even imagine how many trees there were. Skyloft might be the biggest island, but this place… it went on forever. But you and I were there together. It was strange… we didn't look the same as we do.

"We were running as fast as we could. All around us were… creatures. I don't know what they were. They were worse than Skytails. They had legs and arms, all of them carried swords and shields. They were dressed in armor that covered their bodies, and you couldn't see their faces. But there was something about them that wasn't Hylian. They weren't _people_.

"All of a sudden, I felt myself get caught, my feet off the ground and a golden magical barrier of some kind encased me. I was terrified, and mind you, I can _feel _everything that's happening to me while I'm asleep. I couldn't move, and you ran over to me, banging against the glass, screaming my name. I couldn't hear you. I couldn't hear anything inside that _thing_. You wouldn't leave, no matter my pleas, and the horde of creatures came upon us. I was lifted out of the way, floating above the ground like a Loftwing that didn't need to flap its wings, but just high enough that I could still see you amidst the mass of creatures.

"You fought, and bodies began to pile up around you until there was hardly any room to maneuver. You had taken small hits, but they piled up and you were bleeding a lot. Then, the attack stopped. Everyone backed off and cleared a path. You made your way back to me, but a man… no, a tall _monster _with evil eyes strode and flaming red hair came toward us and took out a sword of his own. He was familiar, and I was so afraid. It was like he'd personally haunted my nightmares and my waking thoughts.

"The two of you clashed head to head. The fight itself was incredible. You were like the stories describe the Hero of Old, a warrior fit to protect the Goddess. Then, that man-creature sliced his sword across your stomach and up your chest just as quickly. I could feel myself screaming. I'm shocked no one in the Academy heard it because my throat hurts now. The thing prepared to swing at your head. You rolled out of the way, clutching your bleeding wounds and gravely injured him. It was enough to break the creature's magical seal on me and I fell from the sky onto the ground. It enraged him more than anything, that you'd injured him and released me. He slashed his sword across your chest once again, but this time, you fell back, blood coming from your mouth.

"I ran towards you with everything I had in me to get to you. A great warmth filled me, and I grabbed you just as his sword came down to deliver the final blow. I did _something _and there was a flash, and when I blinked, you and I were no longer at the feet of that man, but somewhere else. We were by a stream and you were soaked in your own blood. When I was sure that the man had gone, I grabbed you and pushed against your awful wounds, trying to stop the bleeding. It didn't work, and you grabbed my hand to stop me. But you were so weak. You were dying.

"I didn't want to stop. You were breathing so hard, so loudly. Every breath was a struggle, like taking in air was the hardest thing you've ever done. The sounds you made… they broke my heart. I held you and you stared at me until your eyes glazed over and your head lolled to the side. You were gone."

Zelda wiped some of the tears off her cheek as she turned to Link. She'd become acutely aware of how much she was crying and covered her mouth to stifle her sob. No, this hadn't been a dream. But what else could it have been?

He looked concerned for her. What could he do but reassure her that it had only happened in her dream? She was looking at him, searching for the blood that she could see clearly in her mind as if she'd just woken up. He put his arm around her, the only thing he figured might offer her some comfort. Words clearly weren't going to do much.

Once Zelda had calmed down a bit, she cleared her throat and continued. "Then, when I opened my eyes, I was in my room. I could still feel where you'd been, and my hands were covered in blood, but my chest still hurt, and I was crying. You were gone. And it didn't feel like a dream. It felt more real than I feel sitting here right now. But everything looked normal, so I had to see if you were still alive." She paused and chuckled humorlessly to herself. "It sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud. Of course, it couldn't have happened."

Link pulled her closer and took her hand and shook his head. "It's not _that _crazy. Your father once told me something while trying to get me to ride a Loftwing. He told me that the mind is the most powerful tool our body has, and the things that happen inside can be just as painful as physical pain."

Zelda snorted. "Of course, he said that. He sounds like a book sometimes."

"He's not wrong."

Zelda leaned closer against Link's shoulder. "No, he isn't wrong. But if you ever find yourself in a situation where you're facing some demonic creature straight out of a Goddess' nightmare, I'll ask that you remove yourself from it, please."

Link laughed and leaned his head on hers. "Noted."

"I'm so tired," Zelda yawned.

Link closed his eyes and hummed in agreement.

"When was the last time we stayed out here all night?"

She could feel Link shrug. "A year ago, I'd say."

She didn't have the energy to respond, and she could tell Link was tired as well. She let her eyes close, her mind drifted to sleep, and she had no more dreams that night. At least, none that were as were nightmares.

* * *

Link could feel his tired bones begging him to sleep, but he couldn't. He had to at least give Zelda a head start. Her nightmare… it was something you'd read about in a book. And the way she kept saying she could _feel _the dream… no, he couldn't sleep until he was sure that she'd drifted off peacefully.

It wasn't the first time that they'd snuck outside of the Academy for the night. He tried to think back to the last time. He couldn't be sure, but he thought it was the day he'd ridden the Loftwing, or perhaps the night after. Both of them had been shaken by the ordeal, and neither wanted to go to sleep. They'd spent the night under the tree by the pond and woken up shivering and sore, but they hadn't regretted it.

Link tried to shift himself over a bit; his arm was pinned to the statue and behind Zelda. He was starting to lose circulation, and that would really wake her up.

Working carefully and slowly, Link pulled Zelda closer to him and was able to lower them to the ground, where his arm was not nearly as sore. Laying down, he stared at the stars and felt Zelda stirr, though she didn't wake. He was at a loss. What else could he do?

But his eyes were burning now, and he had to close them. It didn't take long for him to drift off to sleep.

And he began to dream.

_Trees. Goddess, there were trees everywhere. So many he couldn't see the Sky. But it was dark, and the trees offered even more shadows to lurk in. He had to stay alert. _

_That's when the rush of noise hit him. He wasn't alone. Far from it. The sounds of clashing metal rang around him, echoing through the echoes of the trees. A battle raged all around him, fires lit up the trees that he had so admired. And these… _creatures _were roaming about, screaming, hissing… and one came right for him. _

_He raised his sword instinctively, but it was something more than that. It wasn't just an instinct. It was a practiced skill, something he knew he didn't have. Why would he? What monster would Link ever need to fight? These things are out of a book. Zelda had riddled his mind with thoughts of demonic creatures in armor, and now, he too was dreaming of them. The mutant lizard creature fell at Link's feet and he quickly stepped over it, moving further into the woods. Every few steps, he was met by another monster that he quickly felled before moving faster and faster, a drive pushing him on with more speed than he would normally muster. _

_There were fewer and fewer monsters as he moved, like the battle was moving behind him, though he didn't truly know how far the chaos extended. _

_He finally breached a clearing. Guards stood along the perimeter, greeting him as though he was expected. Though they tensed as he burst through the trees, they quickly returned to their careful vigilance. _

_He moved slower, but still with a hurried purpose. He neared a halt when he reached a group, bent at the knees, heads bowed. _

_Link pulled at something around his neck: a long red scarf. He tugged it off, needing to feel the air on his sweaty skin. But he nearly dropped it as he looked at the figure they were bowing to. _

"_Zelda?" he asked, though he could almost feel his mouth say a different name. _

_She turned, her blue eyes lighting up as she met his. Her hair was nearly to the ground, long, cascading down her back like the flowing white dress she wore. The only color on her garment was a long gold piece that stretched along the low neck of her dress. A small circlet of loose metal hung so the red rubies rested just over her choppy bangs. _

"_Link!" she breathed in relief. "You made it."_

"_As did you," he said, kneeling in a low bow. She made her way over to him, uncaring that her pristine white dress dragged through the mud. When she neared, she rested her hand on his cheek, raising his head for him. "Now, let's finish this. Is the area clear?"_

_He shook his head. "They're everywhere. There is no safe path."_

_Zelda took a breath. "Can you do it?"_

_He nodded once, sure, confident, easy. Things Link would never associate with himself. _

_Zelda lowered herself so she too was kneeling in the muck. "I've been at war with him for far too long. It ends today. Brave Knight, I must ask you one more time… are you willing to risk your life for this?"_

_He rested his hand over hers. "As willing as you are."_

_She smiled and pressed her soft lips against his. It was brief, tender, but urgent. And she pulled away far too soon for either of their liking. "Don't say it. Don't say anything."_

"_You either," he said with a warning look, finally standing. He wrapped the scarf back around his neck and shook out his sore shoulders, ready for round… was it four? Only this time, the creatures wouldn't stand a chance. Not when he had the most precious thing in his life with him. _

_Zelda turned to the people, the wind whipping the dress around, forming an ethereal aura around her. "Wait for the signal. You will all make it to safety. I promise you that. I will keep you safe. I will raise you up. And you will not fall."_

_Link gingerly reached out to touch her, gripping his sword tighter in his hand. "It's time to face him."_

_She nodded, looking towards the sealed grove of trees that would lead them back to face the demon himself. "This time, we face him together."_

Link woke up with a start, turning to see Zelda resting in the crook of his arm. And he could feel her hand on his arm still… but her hands were pressed lightly against his chest. He could feel her soft lips on his, and the harsh whip of wind as he'd rushed through the forest. His neck was clammy, as if hidden by a scarf.

He turned back to Zelda. She was peaceful. There was no need to wake her and tell her that he might understand. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it was unlikely he did understand. She'd planted her dream in his mind. That was all.

That was all.

* * *

_A/N: I had initially wanted to write a Hylia/Hero fic as part of a trilogy with this story, but I don't really see it happening at this time, so this chapter was really my way of making sure I got at least one scene from that potentially doomed fic in! And despite there being a vision in the past chapters, it also keeps this fic "canon" with my others where they can see glimpses of their past lives, though these two don't really know it. Also, I might change the chapter names because it keeps stressing me out saying 8. Chapter 7 all because of that prologue. Not that that probably bothers anyone but me. _

_Reviews: James Birdsong: Thank you! ZeldaBrowser: Thank you! I really like Skyward. It gets a lot of hate, but I think it's a pretty good game. That one warlock: I'm so sorry I missed your comment last time! I'm sorry to say I have no idea who or what shaxx is, but I'm feeling like I'm probably deprived of something here haha! Skyward Sword is a good game! If they EVER port it to a newer system, you should give it a playthrough. But thank you! I hope you're doing alright during these *ahem* lovely times as well! _


	10. What Friends Are For

**Chapter 9 (Age 15)**

Zelda felt herself spinning around aimlessly, truing to do _something _to pass the time. There were days when she was just bored. She wanted more than life on an island. She wanted more than the future she had planned. As much as she loved the idea that she could become an Academy Instructor, there was just always something nagging at her, demanding that she do… _more. _

She stopped her reckless twirling when she saw a small blob of red appear in her vision.

Karane chuckled and reached out to steady Zelda's stumbling feet. "How are we friends? You're so weird."

Zelda smiled sweetly. "You love me and you know it."

"Ugh, you're right," Karane said with faux disgust.

The two rarely got to spend time with one another anymore. Karane was so invested in her Knight training that they'd only hang out during classes or at night in their joined rooms. While doing homework together and talking for a while was good, Zelda missed her best friend.

"Did you want to go get something to eat?"

Karane stopped moving, her face displaying her un-hidden fear. Since that day two years ago when they'd been stuck in the middle of a crime, Karane had tried to avoid going to eat outside of the Academy. It was a sore spot, and Zelda spoke before remembering.

"Oh, Karane, no, I didn't mean that. We can do anything else. It's just the first thing I thought of."

But Karane shook it off and put on a braver face. "We can go shopping and grab food to go. Is that okay?"

Zelda nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course! That sounds great."

So, Karane and Zelda made their way to the Bazaar. Karane had no problem shopping in the Bazaar and had done so thousands of times in the past two years. Zelda left her as Karane bounced from shop to shop to grab some food for the two of them. It was only midday, so she grabbed a light soup, and Piper, the restaurant owner, covered the tops so they could take their meals elsewhere.

Zelda followed behind Karane for some time, and they left without making any purchases, much to the stall owners' displeasure. But they went outside and sat on the bridge that ran over the small river and let their feet dangle as they slurped their soup.

"You know it isn't too late…" Karane said softly. She didn't want to finish. She didn't want to be _that friend_, but she'd already started. "It's not too late to start training with us. We all miss you. We only see you in normal classes now. I know Pip won't admit it, but he wants you to come join us too!"

Zelda sighed. "Link won't say it, so I don't know how he feels. I don't know. I really just don't want to. I want to teach, not to fight or patrol the Sky. I don't want to be away from home on a scouting mission. I want to be here with my family and friends."

"We could come with you."

Zelda smiled weakly. "I'm sorry, Karane. It's like this: Fledge wants to be a Knight. He told me. He really wants it. But he knows he'd be better suited to a different job. He's working hard, but he's not feeling like he's making progress. No one is telling Fledge to change his career. Well, Groose and his cronies might be, but they never count. But Fledge… he has the freedom that I don't have. He got to choose and he's allowed to stick with it. So I know how much you want me to be a Knight, but there's nothing about it that would make me happy. Nothing except spending more time with you four in school, but once we graduate, that'll all be gone. I won't see you or Pipit because you're older and will be out before we will be. Then, I won't see Link or Fledge. You think by being a Knight, we get to stay near each other, but then the pull away will be even greater. At least I can be home to hang out with you when you're on the island."

"It won't be the same."

"I know," Zelda admitted. "Link told me that Eagus hardly sees his own sister now."

Karane's head snapped up. "Link hangs out with Eagus?"

Zelda grimaced, unsure if she'd spilled confidential information. "He looks up to Eagus. Who doesn't? He's the best Knight on Skyloft."

"That's true. I wish I could hang out with Eagus, honestly."

Zelda nodded, turning away. Karane caught a quick glimpse of something in her face before she did.

"What is it, Z?"

"I…" Zelda sighed. "I hung out with Jardon and his friends the other day. He could be the next Eagus, you know."

Karane's eyes lit up. "You have a crush! You have a crush on the guy you were in the play with!"

Trying to hide her guilt, Zelda turned further from Karane, blushing. "I don't know. I like him. I do. But…"

"But?"

_But there's someone else I like more._

"I don't know," Zelda said. "Maybe I'm just being stubborn."

Karane put down her empty cup. "We should get you a date with someone. It's about time you went out with someone. I can help. I'm a pro at this point."

Zelda scoffed. Karane's "pro" dating status came from three dates a few months ago with a boy named Karden that she ended up feeling apathetic towards after only a week.

"No, we have to get you kissed by someone you're not in a play with, at least! You're fourteen, Z! Let's get on that!"

Zelda was beyond uncomfortable with the turn this conversation had taken. Wasn't this chat originally about her becoming a Knight? How did they get to this?

"I…" Zelda's face burned. She was surprised that there wasn't smoke rising through her scalp. "I might have kept something from you."

Karane scooted closer, ready to hear anything.

"I didn't want to kiss Jardon and have that be my first kiss. I didn't want twenty people watching me on stage the first time. So… I might have asked someone for help."

"What!" Karane nearly fell backwards. Her legs tensed and she had to stand up, walking around the bridge so she was facing Zelda. "Tell me who! I have to know!"

Zelda noticed that she'd begun to pick at her fingernail. Her eyes drifted beyond Karane, to the small clearing she and Link often hung out in. He was there, laughing with Fledge. Fledge's hands were gesturing in a wild way, telling some exciting stories no doubt.

Karane followed her gaze. "Fledge?" she hissed. "You kissed Fledge and didn't tell me!"

Zelda looked over at her friend with an exasperated look, prompting Karane to turn around once again. "Goddess, no! You didn't kiss Fledge. You kissed Link!"

Nodding, Zelda felt like she'd done something terribly wrong. She hadn't told Karane. But… but it wasn't Karane's secret. It was hers and Links.

"There's no way Link has told Pip because then I'd know. Goddess, Zelda! How could you not tell me! That's such a betrayal! I tell you everything. Half of Skyloft, your father included, thinks you've only ever kissed Jardon. But you've kissed more boys than me!"

Wincing, Zelda closed her eyes. "Don't say it like that. Link was helping me. I asked for his help."

Crossing her arms, Karane turned away and leaned against the bridge. "I just wish you'd told me. I tell you everything."

"Stop saying that. I feel bad, okay?"

Karane nodded. "Fine. But I've always wanted to know… is Link a good kisser?"

Zelda's eyes widened and she felt an unexpected pang of emotion swell in her chest. Something she hadn't felt in this way. Sure, she felt it when she saw other kids with their mothers, but she'd never felt this over a simple question. "Why do you want to know?" Zelda asked with a forced laugh, trying to keep her voice casual.

"He's so quiet, even around me. I figured… I don't know… maybe that made him a good kisser."

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "How does that even make sense?"

"I don't know. Just tell me! Who was better: Link or Jardon?"

Zelda stood up, giving Karane an exasperated look. "This is one of the reasons I didn't tell you. I don't want to answer that, so I'm not going to."

"Fine," Karane said, her disappointment apparent. "You know, Pip should be coming back soon and then we have to study for a class that you don't have. You could have it, but you don't."

"Don't, Karane."

"Fine," she said again. "Well, you'll get an elective next year. We get swordsmanship, and you get a free elective. What are you thinking?"

"Music," she answered without hesitation. "I want to play something."

"Like?"

Shrugging, Zelda tried to think of everything she might take. "Lyre?"

"That's such a boring instrument. You should get maracas! _Shake, shake, shake_!" Karane shook around in a little dance as she sang her words.

Zelda laughed. "Stick to being a Knight. You'd be horrible as a musician!"

Karane joined in her laughter, not the least bit offended. "I missed my true calling! My time has passed!"

"Come on," Zelda said, feeling a little better. "We can go back to the room before you have to go study."

But Karane's face had fallen, and she grabbed Zelda's arm without looking at her. "Wait."

Zelda followed her gaze to see that Link and Fledge were no longer alone.

Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch were standing just feet away from where Link stood. He was angled in front of Fledge, blocking the three's path to him.

Taking an instinctive step forward, Zelda's eyes met Link's. She could see him shake his head ever so slightly. He didn't want her to go over.

"We should help," she tried anyway.

But Karane had seen Link's motion as well. "He doesn't want us to. Maybe it's a guy thing? Maybe he has to stand up to Groose on his own."

"I don't really care," Zelda mumbled, but she stayed put, watching carefully. She wished they could at least get closer to hear what was happening. It would give her a better sense of the situation.

She could only watch, interpreting Link's movements as best she could. He was in a position that gave off the impression that he was relaxed, but she could see that he was tense and mocking Groose instead. There was an easy grin on his face as he let Groose speak. But she could see him respond, something that was rare for Link when he confronted Groose.

But whatever it was that he said, it set Groose off.

In an instant, Groose had landed a hard punch against Link's face, and in response, Cawlin and Strich joined in, each hitting him in succession.

Link was able to get them both off of him, dodging one of Groose's harder looking hits and landing one of his own straight in the giant's gut.

Zelda felt her feet move. This wasn't something she could just watch. Behind her, she could hear Karane following.

"Link!"

Karane grabbed Zelda's arm, stopping her from throwing herself between the four fighting boys.

Link held his own, landing several decent hits on each boy, but his face was already bruising, and he was no match against three of them. Groose pushed Link back long enough to motion to Cawlin and Stritch. Both boys grabbed one of Link's arms, holding him still so he couldn't resist Groose's new assault.

"No! Stop!" Zelda cried, feeling Karane's restraining arms holding her tighter.

"Fledge, help me!" Karane called, knowing there was no way she could stop three boys on her own. But Fledge remained where he stood, frozen in absolute terror. With nothing else she could do, Karane made sure she had Zelda tightly in her arms, and that in itself was a struggle. Zelda was squirming and screaming, her body doubled over as she thrashed. Karane began to shout as well, hoping someone would hear. It was their only shot.

Zelda couldn't hear her own screams. They were a mix of pleading appeals to Groose, and terror as she watched Link's body jerk back with every hit.

"Groose stop!" she finally heard herself say just as she broke free of Karane. Without thinking, she pushed Groose back and moved to stand between him and Link. She closed her eyes tight and waited for his fist to accidently hit her, but it didn't come.

"Zelda!" he cried, sounding genuinely frightened.

She opened her eyes and saw his look of shock and fear. He'd nearly hit her instead of Link. She breathed a sigh of relief, though she couldn't understand why she was so important to Groose when Link was little more than dirt to him.

She spun on her heel and turned to face Cawlin and Stritch. "Let. Him. Go."

She noticed that Karane was behind Cawlin, pulling his arm away before Zelda had spoken.

Cawlin already feared Zelda and her influence with her father. Now that he was headmaster, Cawlin knew that Zelda could have them expelled with a single sentence. He was quick to drop his hold on Link's arm, and Stritch followed suit. Zelda went to catch Link, but under his unexpected collapsing weight, they both crumpled to the ground.

Groose moved to help Zelda, but her head whipped in his direction. "Don't even come near him," she threatened.

"Karane! Link! Zelda!" they heard. Pipit was running to meet them, immediately stepping in front of Groose, blocking Link and Zelda with his body.

"What's all this screaming?" asked a Knight, flying above them from the edge of Skyloft. "Whoa!" he said when he saw the scene, hopping off his Loftwing and giving it a hand signal before it flew off. "What happened?"

Cawlin immediately ripped himself from Karane's hold. Tears sprang from his eyes. "That stupid kid started beating us up! We were defending ourselves!"

"Lies!" Zelda screamed, eyes burning into Cawlin. "They started it. They ganged up on Link, three to one. Karane and I tried to help!"

The Knight looked between them all. "I'm not authorized to make any decisions about who started it, but I can send you all back to your rooms at the Academy!"

Another Knight flew up beside the first. "What's the matter?" she asked before stopping and dismounting as well.

"Okay, let's go! That's enough. You two!" she said pointing to Pipit and Fledge, who seemed to be the least involved in any of this. "Go get the Headmaster and get Owlan. Tell him that I'm sending this kid," she gestured to Groose, "back to his room. He can get any treatment there. This kid," she looked at Link, "looks terrible. Tell Owlan to come out here first."

She looked at the first Knight. "Bring the less injured one to his room."

The Knight nodded and held Groose by the arm as they went back toward the Academy.

The female Knight looked at Karane. "What was your part?"

But Zelda jumped in. "She didn't do anything! She just pulled Cawlin off Link."

Karane nodded, bobbing her head nervously.

The Knight sighed. "Go back to your room. Don't talk to anyone, just go."

Karane ran. Full-speed ran back to the Academy.

The Knight turned. There was a third appearing behind her. "Good, get down and bring these two boys into an empty room," she said, pointing to Cawlin and Stritch. "Jak will fill you in."

The Knight did as they were told, leaving Link and Zelda remaining.

Zelda was supporting Link with her arms, and Link was wheezing, struggling to take any deep breaths still.

"Your part?" she asked Zelda.

"I tried to fight them off!" she said quickly.

But Link sat up as best he could. "No," he gasped out. His voice was little more than a whisper. "She's covering for me. She did nothing."

"No!"

"Stop!" he hissed, though it was more from pain than anger.

The Knight held up her hand. "Fine, I don't care who's fault it is. Just don't…" she trailed off, looking at Link's sorry state. Instead, she turned to Zelda. "Just don't move."

It wasn't long until Owlan and Gaepora hurried outside, moving faster when they saw Link.

"What happened?" Gaepora asked, grabbing Zelda protectively. He pulled her into a hug, though his eyes rested on Link's battered body.

Owlan was quick to start assessing Link's wounds. With a few gentle presses to Link's abdomen, Owlan shook his head. "Broken ribs, maybe. At least bruised."

Gaepora turned to Link, waiting for an answer, though he still held Zelda tightly. She wanted to break free.

Link grimaced and sat up with Owlan's help, ignoring the Instructor's protests in the meantime. "I'd rather not say."

Gaepora scoffed. "I don't care what you'd rather do, Link. Tell me what happened."

"It'll embarrass a friend."

"I don't care about that either. I have to know."

Resigned, Link nodded. "Groose came over and saw Fledge and I. Basically, he threatened to throw Fledge off the edge to force him to fly. He grabbed Fledge by the shirt and I pushed him back. He told me that I'd be the next one over, but Fledge… started to cry. When Groose said something about how much danger Skyloft would be in when he became a Knight, I might have called him… a name… or something. That's what started it."

Zelda watched Owlan carefully help Link to his feet. "Can you walk?" Link nodded, and Owlan put his arm around his back, supporting him with as much strength as he could, given Link's wounds. "Don't worry, we'll finish this conversation later when you've been taken care of."

Gaepora nodded his agreement to Owlan and then turned his attention to his daughter. "Zelda… how were you involved?"

But she barely heard him. "Link is trying to be a hero, but he had nothing to do with starting the fight. I saw it happen with Karane! I couldn't hear what they said, but Link was standing so far away from Groose when Groose punched him! Link was just defending himself and Fledge! Then, Karane and I tried to stop Groose, Cawlin, and Strich, but I got between them and…"

"You what?"

"...and I got Groose to back off. Karane had to pull Cawlin off Link! He wouldn't let go! They're horrible, Dad! They can't keep hurting Link! Then the Knights showed up and it was just a mess. But Link was defending everyone!"

Gaepora tried to let his brain catch up with how fast she was speaking. He finally put his hand on her shoulder. "If that's the truth, then Groose will face a severe punishment. But Link was also fighting, and he has to also be punished. We don't condone violence here. The Sparring Hall is the only place for that behavior."

"Then do I get in trouble?"

Gaepora grimaced. "No, Zelda. Standing between two people is not fighting. Though I have to beg you not to get in the middle of a fight. People's adrenaline is going so fast that they might not even notice you until it's too late. Please, don't do that again. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."

Zelda took a step toward the Academy, but her father grabbed her arm and moved her back. "No. Not until we get to the bottom of everything. You go straight to your room, not to see Link."

"Fine," she said with an unmistakable attitude.

So, for several hours, she sat alone in her room. Karane wasn't allowed back in until the incident had been resolved, and Zelda couldn't even bring herself to do her homework. She just sat… and waited.

When she heard the long-awaited knock on her door, she whipped it open to see her father. "Go ahead."

She scurried past him and took the stairs two steps at a time. When she opened Link's door, he turned his head to her. She couldn't even bring herself to smile encouragingly as she looked him over.

His face was highlighted by a deep purple bruise just over his left cheek, but the worst bruises were covered with a blanket that he'd pulled up. It was chilly inside, but he was in too much pain to put on a new shirt. Judging from how he winced when he moved, she had a feeling that might be his outlook on life for the next few weeks.

"Are you alright?" she finally managed.

Link just nodded and winced as he took a breath, almost like proof that his ribs had injured.

Zelda took a few steps inside. "What happened? You got punished for fighting."

"No class with Master Kos for almost two months. Firs, so I have time to recover, and second, I'm just in trouble."

"What happened to Groose? Do you know?"

Link nodded. "Expelled. But your dad said not to get too excited. Groose's parents apparently have a lot more pull here than we think. He said that Groose will likely only be suspended and sent home for a while before being allowed to return."

"What? That's horrible! I'll talk to him!"

"Zelda! Wait!" Link said, sitting up too quickly. He hissed and fell back onto his pillow.

But Link had moved enough that some of his blankets had fallen and Zelda could see his blue and black chest. Her eyes widened, horrified. "He did that?"

"I'm fine," Link said dismissively.

"When are you ever going to stop fighting him? You want to be a Knight, but you keep getting into fights with someone who isn't worth it! I know you were defending Fledge, but you don't have to fight!"

"I do have to."

"Why?" Zelda demanded, getting angry. "You're training to be a Knight. You don't have anything to prove."

Link adjusted himself so he could get a better look at Zelda. "Fledge is my friend. He's someone who I can understand. We're both afraid of things. But I can't be afraid of everything, and Groose or Cawlin or Stritch won't ever make my list. I won't let them. So I have to stand up to them the only way I know how. Like you said, I'm a Knight-in-Training. All I'm good at is fighting."

"That's not true! You're the best person I know, and you're good at being a friend. And you are brave. Years ago, you stopped me from falling off Skyloft. Today, you saved Fledge. You defend people who can't defend themselves. You have strength, you have skill. I have nothing! I'm not Karane. She's much stronger. I'm glad that I could do _something_ for once!"

Link couldn't help moving, aggravating his injuries. He clinched his fist, hoping he might forget the pain. "Stop," Link said. "You stepped in front of a giant today and called off three Knights. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for." He paused, debating his next move before making it, needing to say it. "But Zelda, you almost got hit today. Because of me. Can you even guess how much that would have hurt? Do you remember when we were kids and you tried to stop Cawlin and I from fighting? You got knocked over. Something so much worse could have happened today because you put yourself between two jerks who couldn't stop fighting. I'm not worth you getting hurt. I'm not worth that."

That made Zelda angry. While she could see his point about being injured, his words struck her like a blow.

"You're worth _everything_ to me, Link!" she said, taking a defiant step forward. "You're my best friend and if you think I'm going to watch someone hold you down and beat you up ever again, you're sorely mistaken. Don't ever say that to me again. Don't say you're not worth it. Don't insult my _best friend_ in front of me ever again." She took a breath. She'd been far angrier than she realized. "Okay, you know what? Get some sleep. I'll come visit you along with everyone tomorrow."

"Hey!" he called as she turned to leave. But she stopped and waited for him. He sat up with another wince. "Thank you. I'm the luckiest guy to get to call you my best friend."

Zelda stopped in his doorway and grinned. "Now that's more like it."

Closing his door behind her, she let out a deep breath. How many times could she call him 'best friend' before he realized it was a placeholder for something more?

* * *

_A/N: I think it was good to have a more Zelda-centric chapter in here. I'm much more used to writing primarily from Zelda's perspective, so sticking more with Link is a challenge and I'm calling this perspective-allowance my birthday gift haha! Anyway, it got a little bit 'real' violent here, and I wasn't sure if I should put a warning at the top because of the fight, but if anyone was upset by it, just let me know and I'll definitely add a warning. Anyway, Happy Easter (or belated Easter)!_

_Reviews! Clemage: Thank you and thank you for reading! I think Skyward could do really well with some mechanics tweaking (like FFVII just did) and a port to the Switch so more people have the chance to play it. _Guest_: I'm so glad it isn't just me. It was driving me nuts! Draegor: Thank you again! *cracks knuckles* I'm on it! RandomFF. netUser: I read that the game starts when Link is 17 1/2, so I was thinking of just rounding it up to 18 and giving myself a little bit of wiggle room between the chapters. Right now, I'm THINKING maybe around 20 chapters, but probably not more than 25. Now that they're older, I feel more comfortable writing more than 1 or 2 chapters per age. Cosmo14: I got three chapters done (that aren't chronological), so I was more inspired after this chapter ends.I think this chapter builds on his need for discipline and not just strength or courage. Hrmm sounding like a 'trifecta' of sorts! Hahaha! But I definitely have some Loftwing ideas floating around! And Groose is a bit more than annoying right now, but he always seemed like the childhood bully to me, even if SS gives him his redemption arc. I'm glad you like the quiet scenes though! _


	11. Risen Sun

**Chapter 10 (Age 16)**

During the Risen Sun, Skyloft was unnaturally hot.

It was the season that most of the citizens of Skyloft looked most forward to, while the others dreaded it and hid indoors most of the time. It had to do with Skyloft's position in the Sky, something that happened every year, but the length of the season changed annually. Last year, Risen Sun only lasted a few days, but a few years ago, it had lasted nearly two months.

If the day was hot enough, the instructors at the Academy would sometimes cancel class.

That's how half of Skyloft ended up crowding Link and Zelda's favorite spot by the water, desperate to cool off.

On days when this happened, many of the adults would cede the water to the students who were so desperate to get out of the stifling building that they were usually confined to during the heatwave.

Several of the girls from the Academy claimed most of the water's edge, laying around while letting the water lap around their legs, or submerging themselves completely.

Zelda was among those who were throwing each other into the water. She and Karane were diving under to soak their hair every time it dried even slightly in the heat.

Beside Karane stood a tall redhead, an older Knight on the verge of graduating, named Saffron. Saffron was the one to watch in this year's class, and she'd already been told her assignment next year: she'd patrol the Sky to make sure no citizens fell over the edge or didn't call their bird after jumping. It was considered grunt work to many, the task of a Knight who only did 'okay' in their years. But Karane knew that Saffron had requested the position. Her history was similar to Link's.

Saffron's brother had been patrolling the Sky when he'd just fallen without reason. There were no Knights around, and he'd nearly reached the cloudline when a knight finally appeared, her Loftwing's talon digging into him in the process. It had injured him so severely that he couldn't safely fly as a Knight, so his position became one of patrolling Skyloft.

Karane had been working to befriend Saffron in the hopes that she might talk to Link, to offer him a way to channel his fear into something productive. Saffron was going to make sure that no one ever felt alone in the Sky. Link could do that, too.

Zelda was beside a pretty classmate, Robyn. She didn't strike Zelda as someone destined for Knighthood. She was delicate and sweet and lacked that tougher outer shell that most of the Knights had. But she was kind, one of the genuinely kindest people Zelda had ever met. When others gossiped, she would chastise them, when someone needed notes, she was quick to slide over her notebook. And she was friends with Link.

Link and Robyn sat near each other in a few classes. She wasn't someone they hung out with outside of class, but she was someone that Link was comfortable having full-blown conversations with. It was shocking to Zelda, to say the least, when she'd first noticed it.

It didn't bother her, of course. Zelda was beyond excited for him to be making new friends, even if it meant he'd have to spend less time with her, Pipit, Karane, and Fledge. Though Zelda figured that if she or Karane could befriend her, perhaps they wouldn't have to divide their time with Link.

Then again, Robyn's best friend was Peatrice, and Zelda wasn't the biggest fan of hers. It was unfair, but Zelda was against the poor girl simply out of loyalty to Karane.

Pipit had developed a bit of a crush on Peatrice that turned quickly into a one-sided romance. And Karane hated it. For the same reason Zelda wasn't a fan of Robyn, of course. They didn't want to have to split time between friends.

"Oh, look," another student, Wynda said, drawing everyone's attention. She hasn't meant to, only meaning for her friend to look. She didn't particularly care who was looking or listening though. "I _love_ Risen Sun."

Zelda watched as some of the older classmates, Hawke, Glen, and Pidge, walked by, laughing at some joke between them. And even she had to admit that, despite the obvious red in her cheeks, she didn't hate that everyone ended up in their swim clothes. Inside the Academy, she constantly felt her father's looming gaze that prevented her from being a normal teenage girl, but he gratefully stayed indoors to allow the students some freedom. It was a relief to be allowed to look at someone for more than three seconds without worrying that her father might catch her staring.

But she found it a bit odd when she saw more people following them outside, some of the younger classmates… like Link and Pipit. Groose, Cawlin, Stritch, and about four others all headed to the far side of Skyloft, toward the floating waterfall.

Link caught Zelda's eye and she beckoned him over. He hurried over and bent down, ignoring the giggles from some of the girls off to his side.

"What's going on?" Zelda asked, keeping her eyes locked directly on his.

Link lowered his voice, as if the older classmates could hear him. "Honestly, I think they're testing us. They just told us that if any of us plans to be a Knight to follow."

"Why aren't any of the girls there then?"

Link shrugged. "If you tell anyone, just make sure to give me a head start so they don't know I'm the one who ratted on the plan. But honestly…" he looked around at all the girls who were staring at him before standing. "You're all probably having more fun than we will."

He backed away and could hear everyone jump on Zelda for information as he headed back to the group, slipping next to Pipit with ease.

"Did you tell Zelda and Karane?"

Link scoffed. "And everyone else, apparently."

"Seen Fledge anywhere?"

Shaking his head, Link looked around, but was distracted by some of the older students suddenly jumping off the side of Skyloft, rising up moments later on the backs of their Loftwings. Two of them flew up to the top of the waterfall and hopped off the Loftwings.

Hawke stood at the edge, kneeling down and yelling so everyone could hear him. "Alright, so you think you're ready to be Knights? Do you think you have what it takes? I see a bunch of _boys_, not Knights. I wouldn't want to put my life in your hands. Prove me wrong!"

The other one, Pidge, was doing something behind him, something that required him to bend out of sight.

Groose took a few steps and leaned in to Link. "You might as well quit now. You still look like a punching bag."

Link's eyes flickered to Pipit, who gave him a cautionary head shake.

Crossing his arms, Link shook his head, determined to ignore the annoyance and try to focus on whatever Hawke was saying. But it was no use.

"Hey!" Groose said, elbowing Link so hard that Link nearly stumbled into the water.

Biting his lip, Link leaned in towards Groose. "You know Zelda is behind us watching every stupid move you make."

That had Groose turn wildly to see if it was true, if she really was watching. And he couldn't help but make a delighted noise when he saw her eyes boring into his, though not for the reasons he imagined.

"You know that one day we're getting married," Groose said proudly. "I don't care what you think you two have, she doesn't know how special I think she is yet. And when she figures out that I'm ten times the man you are, she'll leave you in a heartbeat."

Link couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on his face. Goddess, Groose was delusional. "So, you consider me your competition? Is that what you're telling me?"

"No! There's no competition when it comes to me."

"Okay," Link said, snorting.

"Hey!" Hawke called. Link and Groose turned their attention toward him, but Hawke was glaring at them. "Fine, you two can be the first challengers."

"The first what?" Link whispered to Pipit. He'd missed everything thanks to Groose.

Pipit rolled his eyes. "You have to climb that rope to get to where they are."

"That's all?"

Pipit nodded his head into the water. "There's the rope."

There were two ropes soaking through every fiber as it lay in the water. Hawke was letting it soak up before he pulled the rest towards him so he could tie it on something on the floating island.

"Move over, Birdless-Wonder," Groose said, shoving Link aside with a hard shove.

Link could feel it happen before he felt the water swallow him. He stayed under a moment just to control his temper before surfacing, swimming over to the ropes. Groose was already reaching for one, which was just close enough that he could reach it from the safety of land. But the rope was slippery and he slid down so that the lower half of his body was already in the water. Link reached his own rope just as Groose slid down further.

Taking it in his soaked hand, Link struggled to get a grip, but he didn't even need to.

There was a loud plop, and Groose was in the water.

Despite himself, Link chuckled, and no sooner did he that Groose let out an annoyed growl and grabbed Link by the shirt and pushed him under the water, holding him there with his other hand on the rope.

Link struggled for a moment before calming himself down and easily sliding down further, slipping out of the shirt and out of Groose's grip. He popped up with a cocky grin on his face a moment later and grabbed back onto his rope.

Groose roared and hastily tried to scoot up the rope, just as quick to slide back down.

Link whipped the hair from his eyes before trying again, sliding again before wrapping the rope around his hand to pull himself skyward.

Groose balked and grabbed onto Link's rope, shaking it violently. Link lost his grip and felt himself fall, no amount of grip on the rope able to help on the water-logged surface.

With a hard thud, Link landed on Groose, who immediately threw him off and back into the water. Link grasped at his still sore side and let Groose get a head start so the boy's hands wouldn't be nearly as free to harass him.

Groose had seen how Link maneuvered his way up the rope and emulated it, though he went much slower. When Link figured Groose was high enough, he grabbed his rope again and began to climb with a determined speed.

Balking, Groose scowled as Link passed him and began to gather momentum, swinging his rope until he could reach Links. Groose held tight, and grabbed Link's again, hoping to pull the same maneuver twice.

But Link was ready and used the opportunity to grab Groose's own rope. He swung his body over and switched ropes, knowing that Groose wouldn't mess with his own.

Unable to climb without the necessary slack, Link stared down at Groose, grinning. He knew what was about to happen, and he wanted to watch.

When Groose had grabbed Link's rope, he'd known that he'd slide down. But with Link's momentum, Groose knew that the second he let go of the other rope, the swinging force would be too much combined with the water. And all Link had to do was wait.

It didn't take long for Groose's patience to run out, and he tried to let go, though his hand slipped down and he felt himself plumet.

Taking advantage of the rope's brief freedom, Link inched his way back up and pulled himself up onto the floating island.

He could hear a few cheers from the small group below him and felt a clap on his back from Hawke.

"You're one to watch. I always thought you'd be the weird one since you never used to talk."

"Thanks?" Link said suspiciously. He wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not.

Link bent over, out of breath and panting from the effort and, admittedly, the pain. He hadn't realized the ropeburns on his hands from his fall, but now they were stinging, and his bruises were aching as well.

He looked over the edge and spotted Zelda among the was too far away to notice any details other than her cheering form. He also didn't fail to see Headmaster Gaepora and Master Kos watching with crossed arms. Fighting again. There goes another few weeks without the sparring hall.

But the other thing he didn't miss was that the group Zelda had been with was far smaller than it had been before. There weren't nearly as many girls around. He couldn't even spot Karane's familiar red hair.

He glanced back at Hawke and Pidge. "Am I good up here?"

Hawke nodded. "Sure, we…"

But Pidge stopped Hawke. "Hey, Groose is still trying to climb."

"I'm not dealing with him again," Link said, more amused than anything.

"No, you can go. We'll get him to leave."

Link shrugged and took a look over the edge, judging exactly where he was before taking a few steps back. No way was he waiting up here for a Loftwing ride down. Instead, he made a running jump off of the floating island, flipping himself backwards as he did, and landed in the water, sinking to the bottom.

When he surfaced, he pushed the hair from his face again and started to swim towards everyone else, feeling his heart racing. He'd never jumped from that high, and he hadn't expected the rush that came with the sensation of falling. But he knew that the water would be there to catch him, unlike the unpredictability of relying on a Loftwing. And he had to admit, he wanted to do it again.

He felt someone grab his arm and he turned to see Zelda and a few others wading out towards him.

"That was incredible!" she said, quickly pulling her hand off his arm. He looked at her reddening face and felt his own mimic hers, having forgotten that he'd ditched his shirt in the water. It wasn't as if they hadn't all swam with half the population of Skyloft in the past. But more than that, he found that he had to put a genuine effort in keeping his eyes locked on Zelda's. So he was grateful when a softer voice demanded his attention.

But when he looked, he realized that it wasn't nearly as helpful as he'd thought. It had to be from the adrenaline rush, he reasoned.

Robyn was smiling at him with a small but genuine smile that reached her eyes and made them sparkle. "She's right. That was incredible. I didn't know you could do that. I mean… I've seen you train but…" she shook her head, realizing she just needed to stop talking.

"Oh!" Zelda cried, shaking Link and pointing back to where the floating island was. "Look up."

Link followed her gaze, not seeing anything at first. But then, it was hard to miss.

Several Loftwings appeared seemingly out of nowhere and stopped just feet from the floating island. They positioned themselves perfectly to let the birds flap their wings, sending bursts of wind straight at them. Hawke and Pidge went straight over the edge, right into the water. Groose lost any semblance of a grip that he might have still had and also couldn't hang on to the rope. And another Loftwing blew the group of boys down, some landing in the water.

Zelda and Robyn were dying of laughter, while Link was looking everywhere, trying to make sense of what was happening. And it was only when he saw Saffron on the leading Loftwing that it made sense. He couldn't help but laugh along, watching Pipit scramble to stand along with everyone else.

Saffron moved her Loftwing so it perched on the floating island and she looked down triumphantly, not needing to say a word for her superior message to reach everyone. And that would be the last time that Hawke or the others tried to have a playdate with just the boys.

"Is that...?" Link asked, laughing again.

Zelda followed his gaze and joined in. "Yeah! Karane hopped on! No rules against riding with an older student!"

"Look at Pip. I think he's going to die over there."

"Why?" Zelda joked. "Can he see Karane?"

"Zelda, Link," Robyn interrupted sheepishly. "Headmaster Gaepora is trying to get your attention. I'm not sure which of you he wants."

"Me," Link groaned and headed to receive his next punishment.

* * *

After the sun had long since set, Link sat at one of the long classroom tables with Zelda, Fledge, Pipit, and Karane. They all had their books strewn across the table, overlapping as they skimmed the pages, jotting notes, and eating some of Henya's leftovers from earlier in the day. As much as they'd enjoyed the break that day, there was a written test tomorrow, and it had nearly slipped half the Academy's mind. Most of the students were sitting around, desperately trying to cram before morning.

Link tapped his quill incessantly against the page of his book, still feeling the rush from earlier. His hair hadn't completely dried after spending several more hours in the water, and there were still some damp spots that he would push away from his dangling head.

He looked up every so often at someone who kept moving, drawing his focus off his book. It took effort to keep his eyes on the page, but he'd found himself reading the same words over and over again.

"Hey," Zelda asked, noticing how far behind he was. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, his eyes darting up again. Then he turned to Zelda. "Yeah. I'm just tired, I think. And I don't want to take the test tomorrow."

"Did you want me to wake you? I don't want you to oversleep and miss your punishment _and_ the quiz."

"You had to go and remind me," he scowled.

Though he wasn't banned from Master Kos' class again, Gaepora had put him on the morning shift to patrol Skyloft before classes. It was a job meant for the older students, but it was often complained about. No one was ever awake, and those who were would ask for assistance with tasks like dragging their trash to the edge. It was a short shift, a training shift, and he should have felt lucky to be given this task in advance of his years, but he knew it was no compliment.

His eyes went back to the movement before flickering away, hoping to avoid detection from Zelda's ever-alert gaze. Of course, she caught him.

"Who do you keep looking at?"

This time, the others' heads all went up, listening for his answer. But Link shook his head and returned his eyes to the book.

Zelda followed where he'd been looking. It was a table filled with students, many of whom had been at the Risen Sun event earlier. With a shake of her head, Zelda returned to her notes.

Link finally turned the page and ran a hand along his face, dragging at the skin so it contorted his expression. His gaze dropped from the ceiling and then back to the table in front of him.

Robyn was covering her mouth, trying not to giggle, but Link caught her staring at him, and he realized just how stupid he must have looked. He didn't _want_ her to notice him… but she kept looking up, and each time, it made him glance back at her.

Link rolled his eyes and grinned at her before shaking his head. There was no way he could erase that moment. He was so used to blending in with the walls, where no one paid him a second glance. But now… someone did.

Zelda looked up again and caught his grin just as he lowered his head back to the book. She glanced over to the other table and saw Robyn with an equally lit-up expression.

She felt something gnaw at her and she bit her lip, looking once more at Link before realizing that the words she'd read no longer held meaning. Instead, the wall felt much more interesting, and staring at it was all she could do. But then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Link's head look up once again.

After a few more moments, she closed her book and began to pack her things. "I'm tired. I think I'm just going to head up. Good job with Groose today, Link. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Karane watched suspiciously but returned to her studies.

And though Link watched Zelda leave the room, his eyes ended up on someone else.

* * *

_A/N: I learned a new word. After spending forever searching for "a running forward backflip" to see a video, I realized that it's called a gainer and that has WAY more search results. But I never really figured out how to use it in a sentence. Do you gainer? Do you do a gainer? But anyone who didn't know there was a word for it now knows! And anyone who does know, can you use it in a sentence for me hahah?_

_Also, sorry! Link can like more than one person at a time, especially when he keeps trying to convince himself that Zelda is only his friend. But if you squint you can see that this was actually a Zelink chapter, so I don't feel too bad._

_**Reviews**__: __HoratiotheHorse__: First off, what a good name! Second off, you have definitely spotted some SS fluff! Join us. We have cookies (and Zelink). __KVeronicaP__: Yeahhh ending the chapter with a bit of angst is my thing hahaha! __Cosmo14__: I have a little bit of the next few chapters done so I'm thinking twice a week for now might work. Not like I have anywhere else to be, unfortunately! It had to be Zelda; I WISH Link could pick locks! Then no one would reach that moment when they realize that they're near the end of a level and missed a key (I'm looking at you OOT Forest Temple!) But I'm glad you liked the title changes! While I don't like coming up with a name, I'd rather not have that wretched number issue! __Draegor:__ After you said that, I realized that, because I write out of order, I didn't include a good explanation of their ages in a posted chapter. The age in the title is Links. Zelda and Fledge are slightly younger than Link because I figured they don't participate in the game's Wing Ceremony. Pipit and Karane are older because in-game they already have uniforms but seemed close to Link. And Link is the same age as Cawlin, Stritch, and Groose. I'll make sure I move that info into the next chapter for clarity! Thanks for pointing that out! _


	12. Green Eyes

**Chapter 11 (Age 16)**

Link lounged in the hallway with his hands in his pockets. Pipit ran his hands through his hair several times, fixing it again and again with anxious jitters. The two boys couldn't have outwardly acted more different, but inside, both felt the same.

There was no use, Link thought to himself, no use giving a relationship a go with Zelda. He couldn't risk their friendship. She was his best friend, and if he lost her… he'd never pick himself up again.

He'd come to the shocking realization months ago. While he'd known that he and Zelda were more than friends, he never really figured out what it was. Then, when he'd been bedridden with his broken ribs, he'd realized that Zelda was the best part of his day. It wasn't Pipit or Fledge. Not Karane. They were his friends and he loved seeing them, but there was one person he loved more.

Then, Link had to confess this realization to Pipit and Fledge. He needed to tell _someone_ to get everything off his chest. He told him everything, from their secret kiss, to the little moments that made him smile. Neither of them were surprised in the slightest. But what had surprised them was when he'd admitted that Zelda wasn't the only one he liked.

And it came as only a slight shock when Pipit admitted that he too was harboring secret feelings… for Karane. Pipit was facing the exact same dilemma as he was. He didn't want to tell Karane how he felt for fear of losing her. But then again, he also liked someone else.

Together, they considered their revelations about their best female friends to be too late, and figured that it was time to move on.

Somehow, that conversation turned into the situation that Link and Pipit found themselves in.

"Stop pacing," Link finally said when Pipit's jitters became too much to bear.

"I can't!" Pipit exclaimed a little too loudly. He let out a deep breath of air. "Goddess, I am so nervous."

"Same," Link agreed.

But that answer didn't suit Pipit. "You're nervous? You look like you're just waiting for the door to the Sparring Hall to open!"

Link chuckled. "Keep it up, Pip. She's going to think you just killed someone."

"That doesn't help."

"I didn't say it would."

Finally, the door opened and a young girl stepped out. She had chestnut brown hair that fell in waves down just past her neck, though she kept one piece of hair longer in the back, one that Link had never seen out of a braid. She wore a teal headband that kept the more unruly waves from her face, though her bangs were still in her eyes. Soft green eyes peered up at Link, and a small, kind, nervous smile appeared on her lips.

She looked like she was dressed far better than he was. Her ankle-length ivory colored dress was nearly the same color of her skin, but the dress was almost entirely covered by a second one. It was a teal that matched her headband with designs sewn into it that was meant to match with a similar colored under-dress.

All Link knew about Skyloft girl fashion was what Zelda wore, and to him, this looked similar to something she'd wear, if not the exact dress.

"Robyn," Link greeted with an easy smile. "You look great."

She returned his smile. "Thank you, Link. You do, too."

"You don't have to be polite for me," he said, gesturing to his simple clothes. He didn't have anything fancy enough to impress a girl, but thankfully, he knew Robyn wouldn't mind.

"I want to."

Link glanced at Pipit as Robyn moved to stand beside them. But Pipit's eyes weren't on Robyn, but the other girl who was exiting the room.

Wearing a simple green and orange polka dotted dress, and a white kerchief over her blonde hair, Peatrice stepped out, brushing herself off nervously.

"Hi," she said softly, though her voice had a naturally loud quality to it.

Pipit stepped forward and gave Peatrice a slight bow before realizing what he'd done. He turned towards the quiet snickering, and Link quickly composed himself.

Pipit turned back to Peatrice. "I-I- sorry. That was… you know, I just haven't eaten yet."

Link turned to Robyn to see a hidden smile still on her face, equally amused. He patted Pipit on his back. "We'll see you at the Bazaar in an hour. Try not to embarrass yourself more."

Pipit glared at the loud comment made by his friend before Link headed out with Robyn, leaving Pipit with his other crush, Peatrice.

Robyn spun around, giving Peatrice a winning smile before trying to match Link's long strides with her much shorter ones. When they were a decent distance away, Link slowed down.

"Sorry, I wanted to get away from him. He's a mess."

"Is it mean of me to feel a bit sorry for him. Peatrice doesn't look it, but she can be a handful. I keep telling her that she needs to calm down a bit. I know she really likes him but she might not show it the right way."

Link laughed, thinking again of Pipit's face. "He'll manage. He's been looking forward to… and dreading today. I thought he was going to die outside your room."

"That's terrible," Robyn said with a small giggle. "Poor thing. She'll eat him alive."

"Now that's terrible," Link admitted.

Robyn shrugged. "Peatrice and I have a unique friendship. She and I are very honest with each other. Almost painfully so. But it's worked for the past ten years, so it doesn't seem to need to change."

Link looked around, almost an instinctive reaction whenever he brought up _her _name. "Zelda and I aren't quite that honest. If something's going to hurt her feelings, I'm not going to tell her unless it's important. I mean… that makes me sound terrible, but one time, I accidently tripped her and she fell into the water but she thought she tripped on a rock. I never told her. Maybe I should. You're making me feel like a bad friend," he said with a smile. There was no malice in his tone, just humor. He was thankful that Robyn recognized it.

"I was actually rather surprised that you came out with me today. I had thought that you and Zelda were… I mean…. I see you two together more often than not."

"She's my best friend," he said quickly, an automatic response. He remained true to his ways and didn't bother to tell Robyn the whole truth, not when it would hurt her.

"Well, Peatrice is mine. When she told me that Pipit had asked her out, I was so happy for her. But then she asked me and Pipit asked you… it was all very unexpected. I'll admit though, I like this. I like talking to you. I always have."

Link hummed in agreement. "You're one of the few."

Robyn was almost a year younger than he was, like Zelda and Fledge, but she shared many of the same basic classes that they'd been in. A full year meant very little in the Academy except that they started new classes, like sparring, at different times. The only other large milestone that was different was graduation. Zelda, Fledge, and Robyn would be graduating together. Link, unfortunately, was in the same graduating class as Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch. And graduating first would be Pipit and Karane.

"That's not true," Robyn chastised. "Plenty of people like you. You just let so few in. I'm honored, in fact, that you were willing to talk to me. I know you were… much more quiet in the past."

Link shrugged. "I've been making an effort. It's much easier with people I see everyday, like classmates, than with the others in town or jerks like Groose."

"I've seen what he does to you. Don't let him."

"He doesn't bother me much except when he's with Zelda. He likes her, and she hates him, so there's usually an extremely uncomfortable conversation that you don't want to get in the middle of."

"She sounds really special to you," Robyn noted, a soft look on her face as she watched him.

"She is. She's my best friend." There it was again. That phrase.

Robyn reached out and took Link's hand in her own. "I just want you to know that if you don't want to be here, I won't hold that against you ever."

But that struck Link. He'd agreed to come on this date with her, and she'd agreed as well. Was she the one getting cold feet? Because he was here, and he was having a good time, despite himself.

"No, I'm good. Are you?"

"I am."

Link rubbed the back of his neck. "I like you, Robyn. That's why I'm here. It's not just convenient for Pip. I'd have said no if I didn't want to come." And it was the truth.

As much as he was realizing that he liked Zelda, he hadn't been expecting to like someone else at the same time. It made him feel that much worse about everything, and more confident that Zelda was nothing more to him than his best friend. Because what other reason would there be for his sudden feelings for Robyn?

She'd always been a friend. Not a good friend, not someone he'd gone out of his way to spend the day with, but someone who's conversations made him smile and who he enjoyed chatting with during class. And she was pretty. As much as he wished it weren't a factor in his agreeing to this date, he had to admit it to himself.

Link's response got a bright smile from her. "I'm glad, Link. I like you, too. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've liked you for some time, but I wasn't sure how you'd feel. I'm not like Peatrice. I'm not usually the outspoken one, but I say what's on my mind when I need to."

They stopped at a bench on the side of a path that had a good view of the Sky and the main square of town. They were slightly angled towards each other, Robyn sitting on her foot so she could turn even more towards him.

Link studied her and reached out and grabbed her braid, letting it fall through his fingers. "You never told me what this was. Do you just like it, or does it mean something?"

But Robyn was frozen, her face reddening at Link's contact. He noticed and blushed. If it had been Zelda, it wouldn't have made her blink. _This isn't Zelda. _

"Sorry," he said quickly, realizing his mistake.

Robyn shook her head. "No, no it's okay." She let her hand trace the same path Link's had. "Um. My mother does this as well, as did my grandmother. It originated with her. She cut all but a strand of her hair when my grandfather died, and my mother followed suit to honor him. I do it… I don't know if it's to honor him, but I do it as a respect. I respect the commitment my family made to each other, and I honor that."

"That's really nice, actually. I… don't have family traditions, or things like that. I think it's pretty cool that you do that for them."

Robyn hesitated. "Did you ever… before… did you and your mother have any traditions?"

Link smiled, but it was fake, a mask. "I'm sorry, I'd rather not talk about her."

"Oh Goddess, I'm so sorry. I just was curious, I didn't think!" Robyn's hands flew to her face in terror.

But Link grabbed her arm reassuringly. "No, don't worry. I don't even talk to Zelda about her. It's just a thing. It's like my own tradition." He smiled at that thought. His tradition was avoiding his past. Avoid Loftwings. Avoid talking about his mother. Avoid thinking about _before_.

"Still, I'm sorry."

Link stood up and offered her his hand. "Come on. Maybe we can spot Pip and Peatrice."

Robyn took his hand but didn't let go, instead pulling herself closer to him. Link tried to control his sweaty palms, but he knew that there would be no mastering that skill.

"Is that them?" Robyn asked, peering across the river.

"Are they going to the cemetery?" Link asked with a laugh.

"They can't be."

"No," Robyn said, watching them for a little while longer. "They're just stopping under the arch."

But that wasn't all they did.

Robyn grabbed Link's arm in absolute shock when she saw Pipit kiss Peatrice. Link, in turn, thought he might have died in surprise. After the incessant complaining about his nerves, Link couldn't believe that Pipit had actually done it. And he hadn't even been talking to Peatrice for that long. But he'd gone for it.

Link found himself laughing as he turned away, mostly surprised laughter, but also fairly impressed.

"We have to go," Robyn insisted, leading Link away.

Brushing his hair from his face, Link tried to wipe his smirk off his face. "Um… the Bazaar then?"

"Yes, I suppose they'll meet us there when they're… not quite as occupied."

Link snorted before remembering that Robyn's hand was still in his. He tried to keep his cool, but he was more nervous than he cared to admit. Apparently more nervous that Pipit, even.

They headed into the Bazaar and looked at several of the stalls, joking and laughing together until Pipit and Peatrice finally joined them.

They went to Piper's restaurant and sat down.

"So," Link said with a mocking grin. "You two having fun?"

Pipit eyed Link suspiciously. "Why?"

"What, I can't ask?"

"Are you?" Pipit countered.

Link leaned back and smirked. "We're having a blast."

"You're being weird."

Robyn giggled and elbowed Link in the side, a very subtle sign for him to let up.

Link cleared his throat and nodded. He looked over at Peatrice. She was sitting almost sideways, staring longingly at Pipit. He did a poor job of appearing aloof.

"You know what?" Robyn said, standing up. "I think I forgot my rupees in my room. You two should eat. We'll see you later."

"Wha-" Link started before being pulled to his feet and out the door.

When they were out of earshot, Robyn stopped and pulled Link off to the side of the Bazaar. "They didn't want us there."

Link nodded. "I figured that was what this was about."

"It's crazy that they were both so nervous that they needed us… but it's a good thing they did. I… I liked coming out with you today, Link."

He grinned like a schoolboy, starting blindly into the main square. "You're okay."

He turned to see Robyn giving him a bemused expression.

"It's a joke," he said quickly. Zelda would have gotten that. It made him nervous that Robyn didn't catch his sarcasm. What else might he say accidently? "I had fun."

Robyn moved so quickly that Link found himself off guard. She was on her toes, and her lips were pressed against his. He made a shocked sound before grabbing her waist, almost ready to pull her off. But as his brain caught up to what was happening, the tension in his arms released and he pulled her closer.

She moved her head away for a breath. "I'm sorry. Peatrice must have inspired me."

"Don't be," he said, feeling the heat in his cheeks as he pushed his hair back from his face. "I was just caught off guard."

This time, he leaned back down to kiss her again, and neither felt nearly as shy as they thought they might. Link could feel his racing heart echoing through his ears, but that was the only sense of the outside world that he had. He didn't know how long they'd been together, or how many times, if any, they'd broken apart to breathe. But when he finally pulled away, lips swollen and head spinning, he realized that they'd moved up against the wall of the Bazaar.

Robyn giggled as she took a step away, needing air. "And people say you're shy."

Link snorted, feeling his entire face turn red in an instant. "Goddess… I think maybe we should head back."

Robyn held back another laugh and nodded. "I think you're blushing."

Link shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Let's go."

Jogging to catch up to him, Robyn slid her hand into Link's. "I think it's cute."

They walked back to Robyn's room at the Academy. Before unlocking her door, Robyn spun around and kissed Link again. "I had fun and if you did too… I wouldn't mind doing this again."

"Y-yeah. I'd like that."

"Great," she said before biting her lip and giving him a nervous wave. She slid into her room and he could hear the lock click behind her.

Link let out a long sigh and ran his hands over his eyes a few times. Goddess, what a day.

He headed back down the stairs to his room and flung open the door, but Pipit hadn't come back yet. He peered through the crack to see if Fledge was in his room, but he wasn't. Instead, he took a few steadying breaths and went back up the stairs, knocking quickly on Zelda's door.

It took her longer than usual to answer, so he knocked again. "Zelda, you there? It's Link."

He could hear her footsteps stop just in front of the door for a solid few seconds before she unlocked it and pulled it open. She was standing behind it, and Link waltzed in and threw himself down on her bed.

"What a crazy day," he muttered, relieved that he had someone to talk to.

Zelda cleared her throat and slowly closed the door. In fact, there was a slowness to all of her movements. "It went well?"

"Better than that. Well, first, we saw Pipit and Peatrice kiss near the cemetery. It was such a weird thing to see. Who makes out with someone near the cemetery?" he added with a laugh.

He couldn't hear her mumbled response over his giddy laughter, but he tried to make out the words he heard. "Yeah, it is bizarre. But I really didn't think I'd have fun with Robyn for a whole day. You know, I've only ever really talked to her in class, but she was great."

Zelda shuffled a paper on her desk before leaning lightly against the edge.

That's when Link finally looked over at her and sat up with concern. "Zelda? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Zelda took a breath and her hand went to her eye. It was dry now, but she could feel the swelling was still present, and she had to imagine they were still red. She grabbed the blank papers off her desk.

"I'm just really overwhelmed. I didn't realize this paper was due and I'm just stressed. I hate to do this to you but… could you tell me another time. I have to get this done."

Link stood up and crossed the room, pulling her into his arms. After a moment, he could feel her shake. "Hey, don't cry again. You can have my essay, if that helps. I can write another. I'm not swamped."

She pulled herself from his arms and shook her head. "No, I got myself into this. I'll… write something. But thank you. Really."

"Yeah," he said, still looking at her with concern. "Just knock at any time if you want it. I don't care if I hand something in late either, so really, anytime."

Zelda laughed, but it was short, a burst from her lips rather than humor. "You're the best, Link. But I'll be fine. Just… I'm sorry… if you don't mind…?"

"Right, yeah. Don't forget to get some sleep, too," he said with another quick glance at her. But he closed the door and she listened for the sound of the stairs.

When Zelda finally heard them, she ran for her door and bolted it shut, resting her head on the wood as she felt another sob escape her throat as she slid to the floor and buried her head in her hands.

She felt someone's hand on her arm and her head jerked up in surprise and gasped, only to find Karane had snuck between the partitions.

"You okay?"

Zelda tried to speak, but nothing more than a pained squeak came out. Karane moved beside her and wrapped an arm over her shoulder. "It's not your paper, is it?"

With a cough, Zelda shook her head and tried to swallow back a strangled sound. "I'm so stupid."

"What happened?"

Wiping her nose with her sleeve, Zelda covered her mouth to stop her cries. "I saw him. And Robyn. Outside the Bazaar."

Karane squeezed Zelda. "I don't understand, but you don't have to explain. Just try to breathe."

"I'm so stupid," Zelda whispered, another sob escaping. "I didn't realize… and now he's…"

"Stop," Karane said with a quick shake. "He's not worth crying over. And he's the stupid one."

Zelda couldn't help the laugh that burst from her. "You don't even know what happened."

"I don't need to know. But do you know what I _do _know?"

Snorting, Zelda shrugged. "I don't know. What do you know?"

Karane made a face at Zelda's mocking. "I know one of the Knights patrolling tonight. And I _know_ she'll let us sneak a ride."

"Is it Saffron?"

Karane's smug face spoke volumes and she pulled Zelda to her feet. "Come on. Maybe we can get Corbett to give you a ride. He'll break the rules, especially if it's for you."

Zelda wiped her eyes and brushed her hair back. "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

_A/N: I feel like I should duck for cover or something after Link enjoying a date with someone who isn't Zelda. Fun fact: I really struggled not to use the word "date." And I totally did NOT model Robyn after a Story of Seasons character... pfshhh not me. I really wanted to focus on Pipit and Peatrice here, but I could only think of them as 'that awkward couple in a tv comedy'! I couldn't take anything they did seriously, so I had to keep deleting scenes they were in hahaha! I'm so here for teenage angst though! I already have half the next chapter done, so that'll be up this week unless I have a total writer's block!_

_**Reviews**__: __Clemage__: Now it's REALLY poor Zelda hahah! __Draegor__: I hope this quenches some of your drama thirst hahaha! __Ellenar__: Thanks for popping over! The red scarf is 100% a manga reference! I WISH there was more for the SS manga than just the little Historia section. __Cosmo14:__ First off, thanks for the belated birthday wish! I like Zelda and Karane as those friends that can have 6 conversations going at once and be completely on track with what the other is saying! Link's definitely transforming. Still a little way to go, but getting there. And yeah, I had probably too much fun with Groose and Link climbing! I couldn't think of ANY birds except Robyn and Pidge/pigeon so thank goodness for Google hahaha! We MIGHT get some of Zelda's perspective in the next chapter again, which honestly I'm just more familiar writing anyway. Those SS keys used to give my hand cramps. Loftwings will start to feature more now that they're older, so that will definitely be coming up soon!_


	13. Distractions

**Chapter 12 (Age 16) **

"...and it was crazy. We went back to the Academy and ate some of Henya's stew after, but I swear, there was no way we could have done that a second time."

Link sat on the back of a bench, balancing precariously on the small surface, almost like it was a test of his skills. Or perhaps he was just showing off for Robyn.

She watched him with a curious expression on her face. "You've done everything with Zelda. There's no breaking the bond you two share, is there?"

Link grinned, chuckling as he shook his head. "I owe her everything. She was there for me when no one else was, you know? She's the reason I'm able to tell you a story today. She never gave up on me, even when I got into fights, never spoke, and had nothing to offer her."

Robyn moved closer to Link, almost leaning on his leg, but not daring to with his position on the bench. "You're not her friend because you think you owe her, right?"

"Goddess, no. She's perfect. The perfect friend. I mean… we fight, you know? I think we're fighting now. She hasn't really talked to me in almost a week. She's just been so distant for a long time now. I don't know what I did though."

Looking almost ashamed, Robyn looked away hastily. "I couldn't guess." She wrung her hands together and turned back to Link. "I've never had a guy friend as close as you two are. Does that ever get… odd? Confusing, even?"

Link thought for a minute. He wasn't exactly sure what she meant by _odd _or _confusing_. "No, I don't think so. Our circle is pretty tight. Me, Zelda, Pip, Fledge, Karane."

"It must be lovely."

"Yeah, it's cool. We all used to sneak out of the Academy and sleep under the Sky. But I haven't done that since…"

Robyn nodded, already knowing why he'd stopped. "Since something to do with Zelda?"

"Sorry," Link said quickly. "I can't believe Pip and Peatrice broke up though."

"No," Robyn said, taking Link's hand and pulling him gently off the bench. He landed with a soft thud and waited for her to continue. "No, wait. Don't change the subject yet."

"Okay," Link said, feeling confused.

Robyn moved right up against him and kissed him, softly and quickly. Like she was saying goodbye.

"Link… I like you. I really do and it makes me so upset to say this… but I can't do this anymore. I don't want to."

"Don't want to…what?"

Robyn took a deep breath. "I want to be with someone who thinks of me first. Maybe it's selfish, but I want you to tell stories about _me_. I want to have a conversation without hearing _her _name."

Dumbfounded, Link couldn't find words, his only rebuttal coming out in a small, breathless gasp.

"You talk about her constantly. About Zelda. I get that she's your friend, but I don't want to hear about another pretty girl while I'm out with you."

Finally, he found some words. "I've had nearly ten years with Zelda. She's my best friend."

"I don't talk about Peatrice the way you talk about Zelda. You don't talk about Pipit that way. You… it sounds like you're _together _with her. And when we're supposed to be together, you treat me like a friend. I don't want that. I don't need you to worship the ground I walk on, but I think I deserve something. I shouldn't feel like I'm a second choice, but I do."

"Listen," Link tried. "I swear… I won't even mention her to you."

"You can't help yourself. I don't even think you realize how often you do it. Even our first day together was 'Zelda this' and 'Zelda that.' You're too loyal and loving to stop talking about her. And I'd never ask you to stop being her friend, but I don't want to resent her and I already am! And it's because I can't compete with her. I can't compare with her. Not to you."

"She is just my friend."

"Is she? Are you sure? Because _I _feel like your friend. But do you kiss friends? No. Have you ever kissed her? Is that the only thing that's keeping her listed as your 'friend?'"

Link hesitated, hoping Robyn didn't see it.

But she did.

She scoffed, stepping further away. "Goddess, you _have_ kissed her? No wonder! I can't believe it. I walked into this knowing you two were close, but I didn't know that. I don't know you had a thing."

"We didn't. It was years ago and it was just practice before she was in a play."

"Do you love her?"

"No!" Link spat back. "You're making up stories now."

"I don't think that I'm the one making up the stories. I like being your friend, Link, but that's not what this was supposed to be. I think you should probably go have a talk with your _best friend_. If you don't, you'll never be with anyone else because your relationship with her is going to scare any girl off. There's no competing with her. I liked you."

Link scoffed. "I don't get a second chance? None of this is even true, and you're just done like that?"

Robyn crossed her arms, hugging herself. "Whether it's real or not, it feels real. And being with you like this is making me miserable. I'm not going to be miserable, no matter how much I really like you. I think… we need a break at least. You need to figure out who she is to you once and for all."

"You're not asking me to pick between you and her, are you?"

"I don't know. I don't want to, but I think I might be."

Link shook his head and pushed his hair back from his face. "No. Don't ask that. You won't like the answer."

Robyn took steadying breaths. "These past few weeks have been great. Truly. She's the only thing that went wrong. But I can't. I'm sorry."

Robyn backed up and her shoulders shook as she turned to go back towards the Academy.

Link watched her go, wondering if this was some sort of test. Was he meant to go after her? Not if she didn't want to be with him. Should he find Zelda and tell her what had just happened, if only to hear her tell him how ridiculous everything was?

Numb, he walked back to the Academy, but he didn't go inside. Instead, he went around the side and into the Sparring Hall.

"Master Kos," he said, but stopped. Kos wasn't alone.

"Eagus?" Link said, greeting his friend. "You're back early."

Eagus smiled. "I wanted to see Tirra before going back out. And of course, the one and only Master Kos."

Kos rolled his eyes, his attention on Link. "He wants something… and so do you."

"I just wanted to spar."

"There are no lessons today. No one will be here to spar with you."

But Eagus stepped forward. "I don't mind it."

Master Kos turned to Link, watching him with a trained eye for a moment. "You don't want to fight today. Emotion is a great motivator, but also a great weakness for a fighter. You have to block out the world in a fight, and I don't think that's where your head is today."

Link didn't question how Kos could tell. It had to be written all over his face. "Please, Master. I'm having one of the worst days and I need _something_."

Kos looked to Eagus, who nodded his ascent. "Fine. Spar with Eagus. But don't complain. He won't be going easy on you today, so focus. I mean it, Eagus. The boy wants to spar, so spar."

"No, don't go easy on me," Link said, picking up one of the training swords and shields.

"A shield today?" Eagus asked curiously. "You've been practicing?"

Link adjusted it and looked at Master Kos.

"He has. He does very little else but train. Except whenever he gets into unnecessary fights with a certain student. Then he continues training without the Sparring Hall."

Eagus strapped on his own shield. "I hear you have quite the social life now as well. You balance it well?"

Eagus began to circle around Link, testing his footwork with the eyes of an instructor rather than an opponent. He knew Link wouldn't move first. It was something that Link always allowed Eagus to do, though Eagus never knew why. He tested him in a few varying stances, mostly defensive positions that Link would move into. Eagus nodded his approval at the way he held his shield. When he was satisfied with Link's progress, he mindlessly swung his sword around through his fingers, and Link did the same. It made Eagus chuckle for a moment, wondering who had begun to copy who. Link had always twirled his sword around while at rest, and Eagus couldn't remember if he'd been the one who did it first, or if Link had.

"Apparently not. I don't have a social life. Not anymore."

Eagus nodded, understanding just by Link's demeanor what he meant. "I see."

Regardless, he took a step forward and let Link counter it, still just testing the waters. Eagus had never seen Link fight with a shield before, and he wanted to make sure he knew how to use it safely before truly beginning.

"So that's why you're here? To ignore your emotions?"

Link tapped his shield impatiently. "I'm here to train."

Master Kos watched the two with interest. He would save any comments for the end, but it wasn't just Link he was watching. He had a new interest in Eagus, one that he hadn't told anyone at the Academy yet.

Eagus finally struck out with a hard thrust of his sword, one that Link could have easily matched, but Link let it hit his shield twice before meeting Eagus' blade with his own, thrusting it upwards in its momentum. The power behind the move had Eagus stagger, underestimating Link yet again. He had to keep reminding himself that his mentee was now growing up and no longer a child.

Though Eagus never lacked for caution, he swung his sword at Link's head, further back than he would have with a fully trained Knight to give Link more room to dodge. In truth, in the year Link was in, Eagus knew Link wasn't even supposed to take a headshot yet.

But Link didn't need any caution from Eagus. He ducked far lower than he needed to and skirted forward, landing a quick tap of his sword on Eagus' leg. They broke apart for a moment, and Eagus grinned, impressed by Link's speed. However, it gave Eagus a newfound realization of just how advanced Link had gotten.

He swung at Link's shield, catching the cross on the shield' edge and pushing it far out from Link's body, leaving him wide open. It didn't deter Link, and he used the opportunity to step forward and take advantage of Eagus' momentum to strike at him again.

Blow by blow, the two matched the other's sword. Their shields echoed with a heavy reverberation from the sheer force of being struck again and again.

Eagus gained the upper hand, having far more experience than Link and seeing his openings more quickly. He was able to push Link back to send him staggering for balance. Link kept his feet and felt more annoyed than anything. He took several quick steps toward Eagus and threw his shield-protected body against Eagus' sword, keeping it far beyond moving range, and struck Eagus' shield several times before Eagus was able to throw the boy back.

Eagus dared a glance at Master Kos. Though Eagus wasn't fighting to his full ability and had no intention to against a student-opponent, he was finding the fight against Link to be far more complex and difficult than he'd anticipated. Master Kos made a knowing face, a testament to Link's obvious skill.

Again, they clashed. The clang of metal was nearly deafening. There was hardly a break between the echoes, blow meeting blow in rapid succession. Link felt Eagus turn into him, his elbow colliding hard with Link's stomach. It sent him backwards, coughing, but he was back in position before Eagus could even ask if he was alright.

Another flurry had both men dodging the other, their hair matted against their faces with a fine sheen of sweat. Link's blade snaked between Eagus' shield and arm. Link froze, quick to be sure he hadn't injured his friend in his carelessness. But Eagus' eyes shone with devilish intensity and he raised his shield, twisting Link's trapped arm up into the air. Link groaned in pain, unable to free his arm.

"Do you give up?" Eagus asked, easily able to keep Link trapped in an incredibly uncomfortable position.

"Not quite," Link muttered, managing to kick out at Eagus, causing him to step backwards to avoid the jab. The motion gave Link the room to pull his hand free and, in the same motion, force Eagus to drop his shield. Link threw his shield off to the side and switched his sword into his other hand for a moment, needing his dominant arm to take a moment from the hard twisting it had just taken. But Link's eyes were still on Eagus, and if he'd needed a true break, he'd have stepped off to the side, a rule in the Hall. So Eagus pressed the moment and aimed to finish the fight quickly by disarming Link.

Link, however, was not one to shy away from training his non-dominant hand, and his left was not weak, as Eagus would have assumed. In fact, Link's ability to block him had Eagus stunned, assuming that the boy was just weak in his arm, like he and so many others were.

Lunging forward, Link aimed just shy of Eagus' head, a move that they knew if Eagus didn't counter would have been considered a winning blow, but Eagus could see it and brought his blade up to meet Link's. However, he nearly missed Link's quick feint to the side before bringing the covered pommel up to check Eagus in the jaw. Again, Eagus saw it just in time. What he didn't see quickly enough was Link throw his sword to the ground and twisting Eagus' own sword from the bottom, throwing him off balance and losing his grip on his weapon.

Link held it up, expecting Eagus to grab his own discarded sword, but instead, he backed up, winded. He noticed Link's own heaving chest as well.

"No, no, I yield on that one. You fought quite well, Link. You should be proud. You'll make an excellent Knight. If you were willing to fly, you could be an Outer Sky Knight like myself. No one would fear for your safety."

Link handed Eagus' sword back and picked up his own, putting that and the discarded shields away. "Too bad there will be no real use for me here."

"That's not true, Link. You'll protect the village. Do you remember when the Bazaar was threatened?"

"That happens, what, once every ten years?"

Eagus rolled his eyes. "You want danger on Skyloft?"

"Of course not."

"Then be grateful."

Master Kos stepped down and stood between them. "Link, you are good. And you being on Skyloft would be a waste. Think on that, because it's true. The best Knights: Eagus, Pipit's father Bek, myself in my youth… we need men and women like you to take to the unexplored Sky because you have a talent not unlike what's told in legends. It's raw, and still in need of tempering, but your skill is undeniable. You just fought a trained Knight and you're not even of age to have your own Loftwing. So yes, you being on Skyloft will be a waste of your talents."

Link felt a great weight settle over him. "You…" he paused and thought better of it.

"What?" Eagus prodded.

Hesitating, Link figured that they were the only ones who could understand. "You take the Outer Sky routes and you don't have a life outside of it. How many days do you spend out there before coming back? Who waits for someone like that?"

Master Kos nodded, knowing Link didn't mean trivial friendships. "It's true, I didn't find anyone myself, but that was my choice. Bek has Mallara… Pipit's parents."

Eagus clapped Link on the back. "It's consuming, being out there for weeks sometimes. But it makes homecoming sweeter. I've never been closer to Tirra than when I come back to visit her."

"That's your family," Link countered, preparing to leave. "They have no choice but to wait."

Kos held up his hand to stop Eagus from responding. "Go, Link. Clear your head and think about this. Everything happens by the Goddess' design. Your anger and sorrow will fade and you'll have a clearer head."

"I'm not angry," Link said, thinking hard about it. Robyn had made him angry at first, but it was something completely different. It wasn't anger or sorrow. It wasn't heartbreak. He hadn't loved her. But there was some feeling that he couldn't place just sitting on his chest.

Master Kos moved beside Link and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've been angry for nine years, Link. Let it go."

That's not what Link had expected from Kos, but he and Eagus left Link inside alone with his thoughts.

* * *

When Link headed into his room after washing off the sweat from his sparring match, he heard someone call out his name from atop the stairs. He groaned when he saw Gaepora. Somehow, Robyn had to have gone to him. She had to. No Sparring Hall again.

"Link," Gaepora called again, though it was more urgent and annoyed than it had been moments ago.

Link took the steps two at a time and stood before the headmaster.

"Link, the world is a complicated place. You know that. And I see you as a son-like figure in my life, regardless of what you might think at times. That's why I feel obligated to ask you…"

Link rolled his eyes, waiting for it.

"...who has my daughter been sneaking off with?"

Link's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I've gotten reports that have seen her riding Loftwings with someone, sneaking out at night and during the day. I'm afraid for her, and I trust you. Please, I need to make sure she's safe. It's reckless behavior, and I have to protect her. Who is it?"

"I-I…" Link stuttered. He let out a small gasp, still trying to wrap his head around it. "She… I don't know, sir. I have barely seen her. I've had… my own problems."

"Problems?" Gaepora chuckled for a moment. "Is that what you call Robyn?"

Scoffing, Link wondered how many people would know by the end of today. "We aren't together, sir. We had… problems."

"Oh, I see. Unfortunate, but that's how life is. You'll bounce back."

"I'm fine, Headmaster. But about Zelda… you should find Karane if you really need to know. I truly have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'd thought of that," Gaepora said with a sly smile. "Karane won't talk to me about Zelda. Not freely or without secrets. I know she will talk to you. Please, find out what you can and find Zelda. Just… just watch her. See who it is that she's with and bring her home."

"That's not my place."

Gaepora eyed Link. "You care about her, right? She's your friend?"

"Obviously," Link said, beginning to feel defensive.

"Then you have to go find her and get her away from whoever that delinquent is. She's not even old enough to fly without a trained Knight."

"Headmaster, I'm going to find her because I need to talk to her. But, I'm not dragging her back here. You can take more time in the Sparring Hall from me, but I won't tell her what to do."

Gapora nodded once, though his disapproval was blatant. As Link walked away, he could hear Gaepora mutter something about teenagers.

Link headed outside and went straight for the side of the waterfall, where he and Zelda would hang out. She wasn't there, but he didn't really expect her to be. He wasn't doing this for Gaepora. He had to figure out what exactly happened with Robyn. He had to look at Zelda and see if there was some feeling that he didn't understand. He just had to _know_.

After exploring a fair bit of Skyloft, Link finally spotted Karane hopping off one of the training Loftwings. She and Pipit were so close to getting their own.

"Karane!" he called before she could take off. "Karane, have you seen Zelda?"

"Yes."

Link waited, but Karane made no move to speak. "Can… you tell me where she is?"

"Wait here. She'll show," Karane looked around quickly before glancing at the sun. "I have to go. I'm meeting someone at the Bazaar."

Link stepped off to the side and let her pass. With a hard sigh, he waited by the platform. It seemed there was some credibility to what Gaepora had been saying, especially if she wasn't flying with Karane.

But when he saw a billow of blonde hair his eyes latched on to the Loftwing… and the rider.

He could see tousled red hair in front of her, and as they flew by, he could see her holding on tightly to the rider. He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes as the rider made a hard bank towards Skyloft, clearly showing off, before landing and letting Zelda down.

She kissed his cheek before hopping onto the ground.

Link's eyebrows shot up.

When she turned and noticed Link, she waved a quick goodbye to the rider and went straight for Link. "You saw that, huh?"

"Who is that? Are you with him?"

Zelda made a face. "His name is Corbett. He's in Saffron and Hawke's class. You must have met him before. But no, we aren't together. Not really. We're just hanging out."

Link took a deliberate step inside Zelda's personal bubble. "You kiss everyone you hang out with? Should I feel left out?"

Zelda pushed him away. "Stop it. Besides, you shouldn't feel left out. Not when you have _Robyn_."

Link noted the change in her tone, almost forgetting entirely why he was there in the first place. "What's wrong with Robyn?"

"Nothing. Just don't judge me and my choices."

"I wasn't. I haven't spoken to you in days and I find out you're flying around and sneaking out with some guy who's graduating? I just thought maybe, as your friend, you'd have clued me in."

"Sneaking out? Says who?" Zelda asked, suddenly defensive.

"Your father."

"My…" Zelda ran her hands along her face. "He knows about Corbett? And I'm still alive?"

Link put his hands in his pocket, if only so Zelda couldn't see the slight tremor in them. "He doesn't know who, and he sent me to drag you back."

"_You're_ his spy? He wants to make you drag me back?"

"Goddess, Zelda," Link said, scoffing. "It's not like I'm reporting to him. He just told me. But he shouldn't have been the one to tell me that you're with some guy."

"You wanted me to break up an evening between you and Robyn to let you know about my life? I'll just join you at the table next time. You know you spend all your time with her."

Feeling a raging need to defend himself, and also some unexplained feeling about this _Corbett_, Link grabbed Zelda's arm to stop her from walking away from him.

"I've come over almost every night to try to talk to you, and you either weren't there or wouldn't see me. I guess it's because you've been 'hanging out' with your new Knight. Who cares about an old friend?"

"Stop. You sound like a child, Link." She took a steadying breath. "I'm having a lot of fun with Corbett, but I don't want to marry him or anything. I don't even want to actually be with him. I just want to have some fun for once, and he's okay with that. I basically have no one else. Pipit and Karane are so busy studying now that they're really getting close, you have _Robyn_, and Fledge doesn't do the same things I like to do."

"I don't have Robyn, and I never stopped trying to see you. You're ridiculous. You have me."

"What?" Zelda asked, her face slipping into one of genuine concern, and even a hint of a sparkle in her eye. "What happened?"

"We… just didn't work."

"Did you… or did she…?"

"She did."

Zelda shook her head and grabbed Link, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Link."

Link's arms were loose at his side for a moment, realizing that his heart had sped up and his body burned where she made contact with him. But it was a good burn, and he wrapped his arms around her, reveling in the warmth.

But Zelda pulled away all too soon. "Are you okay? Really?"

Feeling the loss of her in his arms more acutely than ever, he realized something. He was completely okay. And he knew why. He knew what that feeling had been when he'd seen Corbett with Zelda. And he knew why Robyn had left him.

"I…"

Zelda took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"I'm fine," he finally choked out.

"Good. I know I never really lost you, but I felt like a third wheel, you know? That's why I didn't stick around. I didn't want to be around you two and make things awkward or uncomfortable for anyone." _Especially me,_ her brain added. "I'm so glad we can be friends again."

"Friends," Link repeated. "Yeah."

"Yeah."

Link shook his head, trying to shake his daze. "As your friend, I have to say something."

"Go ahead," Zelda said warily.

"He likes you. Corbett. If you don't think it's serious, I guarantee you, he does."

Zelda rolled her eyes and started to walk away. "Don't start already, Link."

But Link matched her stride. "He's risking his graduation to impress you. He could be kicked out of the whole program for letting you on that Loftwing with him. You can't fly yet, and if your father found out who he was, he'd knock Corbett down a year. You know that, and he knows that. He likes you way more than you think."

"What makes you an expert?"

Link grinned, lost in his thoughts. "Because, it's what I would do if I had a Loftwing and liked someone. I'd take them all over the Sky, especially if they were stuck on Skyloft. And I'd stand up to her father, too."

"That's not even funny, Link."

"I didn't say it was. You need to get a clear answer from your Knight, then, because he's risking it all, and your father is on the hunt for whoever it is."

Zelda's mouth fell open. "He's… I can't. I can't do anything. This is exactly why I needed Corbett! I'm trapped all the time. Trapped and alone and suffocated! Do you think I like being looked at by everyone the way I am? I'm the only one who's staying behind. I'm the only one who's father is making sure they don't get a chance to live! I'm choosing to be trapped under his gaze forever! I never even considered... and now... it's all just too late."

"Zelda…"

"You're a part of it, Link. Just give me a minute to breathe!"

"Okay," Link said, literally backing up. "I'm going to go report in to your father."

Zelda turned on him, her eyes narrowed and shooting daggers at him. "What are you going to do?"

Link held his arms out at his sides, a gesture of peace. "Don't trust me? I'm going to do what you'd do for me. I'm going to go get you out of trouble with him. But you might want to tell your Knight not to mention your adventures to Gaepora. I'm not throwing him under the bird. We'll straighten out our stories later tonight if you let me buy you an apology meal at Piper's."

Zelda hesitated for a moment. It was Link, just Link. But something about the way his demeanor had changed...

"Fine," she agreed, "but no soup."

Link grinned, walking backwards. "I'm a pauper, _Princess_, but I'll try."

"That's not a real word!" she called with a laugh as he jogged back to the Academy. She crossed her arms and let a large smile unabashedly spread across her face.

Goddess, she had missed him more than she would ever admit.

* * *

_A/N: Let me just say that I don't think I've ever written a follow-up chapter this quickly. I think I have this whole thing re-written and done about four hours after I posted the last chapter and I've just been letting it sit here in the Doc Manager since yesterday. AND I started another fic in the meantime that may or may not end up published eventually which means I'm definitely ignoring some of my actual responsibilities to just sit here and write! I am thinking this will end on chapter 20 (or 21 if you go by Fanfic's counting system), so that's my current train of thought on that. _

_Review: Guest: *types from hiding under the table* While I actually wanted to keep it going for a bit longer, I'd rather keep plowing forward to see how they deal with everything that's just happened. _


	14. Signs

**Chapter 13 (Age 16)**

"Link! Wake up!"

Link stirred in his bed, cursing the day Zelda had learned his name.

"Wake up! Wake up! Link! Open the door or I'm just coming in! And if your door is locked, then you better lock your window! And if that window is locked, not only will I kill you, I'll just come in through Fledge's room because he's actually awake. And Pipit's awake because, you know, it's his special day! But who cares about Pipit and Karane when you could just sleep in like you do every day?"

"Okay! Stop, please!" he called, stuffing his face under his pillow. There was a single, sharp bang on the door and he sat up, sighing in frustration. "Goddess, Zelda! I'm up!" If nothing else, at least he could take his time changing.

He knew today was important to Karane and Pipit. Though it was no Wing Ceremony, the Loftwing races were a big deal, and this was the first year they could enter. He grabbed his better clothes, and stepped into the least comfortable pair of pants that he owned before pulling on a tight, clean shirt.

Then the door whipped open.

"Goddess! Zelda!"

Zelda waltzed in and sat on his bed, looking him over. "No, that's not going to work. We're going to be outside all day. You'll be a mess."

"What if I was still changing?" He asked, tossing his discarded sleeping clothes into his wardrobe.

"Then you'll move faster next time." She smiled innocently. "Honestly, I'm stunned you didn't lock it."

He scoffed and leaned back against his dresser, taking in what it was that she'd decided to wear.

Her hair was entirely pushed back behind a blue headband with the white Loftwing design of the Goddess Hylia. She was in a matching blue dress with white trim at the bottom and sleeves that billowed out and would have blown up her arm if she'd been the one flying today. There was a black sash around her waist, and she'd gone so far as to apply a dark kohl around her eyes.

"What?" she asked after he'd stared at her for too long.

Link tapped his foot impatiently and then decided to go for it. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Zelda would think he was joking, so he might as well get it off his chest, if only to make himself feel better in the long run.

"You're just gorgeous, that's all."

Zelda didn't look fazed, as he'd predicted. "You're stalling, Link. Get something better from your wardrobe. When was the last time you wore those pants? When you were ten? Hand them down to someone else."

Link grinned and walked over to the bed, earning him an eye roll. "You think I'm just stalling?"

"Yes. Don't make me go pick out your clothes because I will just so we can start the day."

Link wrapped his arms around her and dragged her down onto the mattress.

"No!" Zelda laughed, trying to free herself. "Link!"

He pretended to snore, truthfully reveling in the temporary reprieve from his burning morning eyes.

Zelda finally rolled from his grasp and whacked him. "That's it. You're going to make me act like your mother or something." She went into his closet and threw something else at him. "And please, donate that," she said, gesturing to his ensemble. "You look ridiculous."

If there was one thing Link needed today, one thing at all, it was a sign. Since Robyn, he hadn't stopped thinking of Zelda, to the point where he was sure he was becoming obsessed. She was like air at this point: necessary to breathe. But Goddess, he couldn't figure her out. She treated him like a friend, and he did so in return. What more could he do? He had to get _something_ today or he'd go crazy. He didn't need a confession from her, not anything like that. He just wanted a sign that he wasn't alone.

So, he decided: today, he'd give her every opportunity he could to give him one sign. And if she didn't, he'd back off and forget it all. He'd forget this little delusional world he was living in.

"Fine. Get out," he said, gesturing to the door.

She moved into the hall and Link grabbed his shirt off the bed. He glanced off to the side, seeing Zelda's head angled at the floor, but he could see a glint in her eye, covertly watching him. He angled himself away so she couldn't see his smirk as he pulled off the tight shirt and spent his time moving with unnecessary slowness.

When he glanced at her again, she was staring at him, redder than the rarest of Loftwings. He turned to her, forcing her attention to his face, though he leaned unabashedly against the doorframe.

"Are you trying to get a free show out here?"

"Wha-?" she said, the effort it took to keep her eyes up was obvious as they flichered from his exposed chest to his muscular shoulders and arms.

While he could understand that all his time in the Sparring Hall had bulked him up, he still didn't see himself as anything to look at. But, surprisingly, it had been Karane who'd warned him of several students' attractions to him, and that come their final year, he would likely be the one the newest students swooned over and imagined their first kisses to be with, as she herself had done with Jardon. And though the revelation surprised him then, today he was willing to test it.

On Zelda.

Her eyes darted everywhere; her tongue flicked out to wet her lips as she shifted from foot to foot nervously before regaining her ability to speak. "I was just making sure you didn't crawl back into bed. And if you don't want an accidental, 'show' as you call it, close your door."

He grinned and kicked it shut, changing in relative peace. Well, not quite a sign. By Karane's own admission, even she was attracted to Link, though she had absolutely no romantic feelings for him. So this wasn't enough. It wasn't his sign.

When he opened the door, Zelda looked up from biting her nail and stood. "Much better. but I was thinking… you need a haircut, too."

Link's eyes flickered over to her and he shook his head. "Nope."

"You're going to be able to tie your hair back soon. Actually, I'll bet you already can. Let me see!"

Zelda crossed the hall and all but skipped over to Link. Her light hands brushed his neck as she pulled his hair together, and his body arched forward with a harsh shiver rushing through him. _Nope, I didn't need a sign that _I'm _attracted to her. _

"Give me the scissors in your desk," she said with her hand out. "Your hair is going to be longer than mine soon."

He looked at the hair that fell down her back and rolled his eyes. "I'll just do it myself later."

Zelda's eyes widened in horror. "You're joking, right? That's… give them to me right this second."

The moment he took a step towards his desk, he knew what a sucker he was. "You do know what you're doing, right?"

Zelda beamed when he handed her the scissors, and he had to roll his eyes just to pull them off her expression. Goddess, he was in deep.

"Come on! Outside!" she said, dragging him with far too much excitement.

"I'm going to look awful, aren't I?"

"Relax and kneel or sit. I do this all the time."

"On girls' hair."

Zelda chuckled. "Right now, you have longer hair than some of the girls, so stop being fussy."

Her fingers brushed the back of his neck, and he jerked forward, unprepared for the light contact. He groaned, getting genuinely annoyed with himself. "Sorry," he said before she could ask. "You… your hand is cold."

"Oh," she said, rubbing it against her dress to warm it up. "Sorry about that."

She set to work, and he sat as still as possible.

"You know," she said when she noticed his anxious stillness, "I was thinking of getting short bangs again like I used to have. What do you think?"

"Me?" he asked. "I think…" he felt the scissors pull away and he turned to her, his eyes narrowing as he carefully dodged a trap. "I think you look great no matter what."

Zelda nodded. "Good answer. Especially while I have scissors."

She was done quickly and brushed the fallen hair off his shirt. "You look genuinely handsome, Link."

Link snorted. "You're saying that so I don't absolutely freak out when I realize you cut it all off."

Chuckling, she shook her head and handed the scissors back. "Not this time."

He ran his hand through it a few times and it felt normal. It felt like he used to keep his hair, not too long, and not too short. He opened and closed the scissors in front of Zelda's face. "Want bangs?"

Her eyes bugged out and she took a step back. "No. That was small talk."

Link reached out his hand and caught hers, stopping her from running. "Come on. Fair's fair."

"No!"

He let go, but she didn't move, just watched him carefully as he kept coming closer with those scissors. "How about the back. Let me cut the back!"

Zelda covered her mouth with her hand and squeezed her eyes shut. "If you cut off more than the length of your pinky finger, I _will _cut off your pinky finger, Link!"

He chuckled, watching her hide as much of her face as possible. Thankfully, she couldn't see the smitten smile that had spread over his face. He ran his fingers through her hair and she stiffened. Letting every piece of hair fall back, except for the smallest single strand, he cut the barely noticeable blonde hair.

"You actually would have let me?" he asked, nudging her.

She looked up and saw the hair. She lost more just by brushing it, and sighed in immense relief. "I think I owe you something, don't I?"

Link turned and opened the window. They were standing outside his room, and threw the scissors back inside. "No. I don't think so. But I'll tell you what," he said, naturally draping his arm over her. Her arm went around his waist in response. This wasn't even part of his 'send me a sign' test. "You are way more gutsy than every Knight in the Academy."

Zelda burst out laughing, a combination of humor and nerves. "I honestly think that's the moment I've come closest to dying."

"Dying?" came a new voice. Link turned to see Master Kos coming around the corner from the Sparring Hall. He was holding several things that Link had seen lying around. Kos eyed Link's arm around Zelda.

Lowering his arm, he cleared his throat. "Are you going to the races?" Link asked, still staring at the objects.

Kos looked him over, debating something. "You might as well be one of the first to know. I've decided to step down once this class graduates in a few weeks. It's time I retired."

"What?" Link balked. "No, you can't!"

Kos laughed, not bothering to hide his joy that he'd be missed by at least one student. "You won't be so upset when you learn who's going to be coming to class to begin transitioning to your full-time instructor."

Link waited, looking around to see if there was someone he was missing.

Kos grinned wider. "You might want to start calling him _Master_ Eagus."

"No!" Link gasped, a giddy smile spreading across his face. "Eagus? Really? What about the Outer Sky?"

"That's his business. I'll be around to help him transition, but he'll be taking over soon enough. I thought you'd be excited. But tell no one yet. I'm making the announcement in class tomorrow."

"Of course," Link said. Zelda nodded along.

"Now, get to the races. Pretend you haven't seen me today. I'll be there a little later. And nice hair, Link. You don't look like a Knight someone woke up and sent out anymore. It's tame."

Zelda gave Link a smug look, and Link nodded. "Thanks. We'll see you, Master Kos."

When Kos had gone, Zelda grabbed Link's hands, using her best mocking tone. "Eagus! The one you admire! The one you love! The one who trains with you all the time! That Eagus?"

"_That_ Eagus," Link laughed. "You know, last time I fought him, I won?"

"Oh, I'm sure."

Link nudged her again. "I did. He said he'd go all out, but he didn't. Trust me though, I caught him off guard and won."

They walked slowly to the main square where everyone would meet before the races.

"I don't know if I can, actually. There's no reference point for me. I haven't seen you fight since you first started. I've seen you train, obviously, but I haven't seen you fight. You could be making up how good you are just to try to impress everyone." She laughed, obviously trusting him. She missed watching him train in the Sparring Hall, or outside with Pipit. She hoped that he'd join this year's tournament, but he hadn't.

"Because you don't come around anymore to watch."

"Because I'm busy working with Owlan."

"Fine," Link conceded. "I'll pick a fight so you can watch."

"Link!" Zelda scolded, whacking his arm.

"Zelda!" called another voice.

"We're never getting to the race today," Zelda chuckled as she turned to greet her father. "Hello!"

Gaepora finally caught up to them, holding some large handled-box behind his back. "Zelda, Link, good to see you two. Are you going to the race?"

"We're trying," Zelda said sweetly. Only Link snickered at her implication before controlling his face.

"Well, there are many talented Knights at this race. I had hoped that Link might have participated this year, but alas, perhaps next year."

"Father," Zelda hissed.

But Link just shook his head, unfazed and used to the pressure that everyone put on him. "Maybe."

"I know you're rooting for your friends Pipit and Karane, but I believe there are some promising upperclassmen that they'll have to beat out. Saffron, Hawke, Glen, Corbett, and Wynda are the best flyers in their class. They'll have to be careful. Eagus and Jardon are the followers this year, so if any should fall, they'll be quite safe."

Zelda anxiously shifted from foot to foot. "That's a lot of great fliers," Zelda admitted, though she felt her voice crack.

Corbett. Link had been right about him. He'd wanted something more with Zelda than just a good time, like she wanted. And while he was a genuinely good guy, she'd turned him down, not looking for anything with the nearly-graduated Knight.

Link looked at the grass as if there was a show in the ground, doing everything he could to avoid looking at Zelda or her father. But the longer the silence between the three of them stretched, the more suspicious Gaepora grew about that list of names.

"So, sir," Link said, stepping forward. "What's that box?"

"Oh, right!" Gaepora gasped, setting it down gingerly. "One of the residents found this beautiful girl wandering around without a home!" He pulled a small Remlit from the box, eyes wide and innocent, alert, and almost sleepy looking. With huge ears and a small smile, the Remlit crawled up Gaepora's arm to perch on his shoulder and stare at the two new strangers.

"Oh Goddess! She's so precious! What's her name?" Zelda cooed, reaching out her hand for the Remlit to investigate.

"Horwell was calling her Mia when he passed her to me. I think I might fight him to keep her, though. She's just too cute not to try."

"I love her! Hi Mia!"

Zelda grabbed Link and pulled him closer. He joined in the admiration for the adorable animal, but he came with reservations. "Should I bring a sword to the restroom at night now?"

Zelda snorted at him, though Mia jumped into her arms. She cuddled her with both arms, already in love.

Gaepora, on the other hand, sighed. "No. At night she'll go outside until morning."

Leaning closer to the Remlit in Zelda's arms, Link scratched Mia's head. She licked his face with her small tongue.

"One night, you're definitely going to try to kill me. I just need to remember what you look like when you're this cute."

"I'll take her back," Gaepora said, holding out his arms. "You two go to the race. I've taken so much of your time already."

"Take care of my girl!" Zelda said with a final wave at the Remlit.

Link nudged her as they walked. "If you ever call me an angry Remlit again, I'll remind you that it's your pet you're insulting."

Tousling Link's hair, Zelda smiled her devilishly sweet smile. "You _are _an angry Remlit, though."

"Keep walking, Princess."

* * *

The races took all day. It began with the older residents,the ones who flew casually when they wanted to but didn't get to as often. Then, retired Knights, who had too much experience to be in the same race. The average adult was next, and then the typical trained Knights. Next, the newest Knights, recent graduates, flew the race. Theirs was the longest with extra laps and more obstacles. And finally, those who were in the soon-to-graduate classes flew. Despite Saffron and Hawke already winning their own Wing Ceremonies, they were still a part of the class that was just about to graduate entirely out of the Academy. It would be Pipit and Karane next year.

Link went to join Fledge beside Pipit.

"... and I know that you know what you're doing, but my last lesson was so surprising! I didn't realize that Loftwings would do that, you know? So just be safe, and don't pull on that."

Link chuckled as he moved up behind Fledge. "Trying to scare him out of the race?"

Fledge jumped, holding his chest. "Goddess!"

"No, just me," Link teased. He turned to Pipit. "You'll be fine. Just fly and remember that it's your first race and you don't have to tolerate flying with Groose."

Pipit snorted. "That's one consolation."

"You practiced. You'll be fine," Fledge encouraged once he caught his breath.

Pipit looked around, taking in the competition. Saffron and Hawke would take first and second. There was absolutely no denying it. But there was also Pidge, Glen, Corbett, Wynda, and Karane to compete with.

"Okay, I need to breathe!" Pipit said, hopping anxiously from one foot to another.

"W-well I hate to say this," Fledge said, gesturing to the edge, "but I have to go. I'm watching from the Lumpy Pumpkin."

Pipit turned and saw the Knights ferrying villagers over. "Oh, go, go! I'm going to kick Link out anyway so I can get in the zone."

Link chuckled. "When you're a Knight, are you going to tell everyone to leave you alone so you can be in the zone?"

"Shut up."

Backing away gracefully, Link went to find Zelda. Like with the other races, they'd been watching from the less-crowded jumping platform closer to the Academy. He slowed his stride when he saw Corbett talking to her, though he was close enough to hear everything.

"-but next year, you should. You were good at flying. Don't give it up."

"I wasn't planning on it, but thank you. I'd say good luck, but I'm rooting for Karane."

Corbett chuckled. "I figured. Good to see you again, Zelda."

Link watched him go and finally stood beside Zelda without comment.

Zelda watched the riders get ready beside their Loftwings and pulled Link away so they could get to their spot.

"You know Karane thought she'd have a hard time with this?"

"Why?" Link asked as they sat on the edge, feet swinging. Unlike the Wing Ceremony, everyone started the races on their Loftwings in a straight line midair and began at the sound of a bell. They were all moving to position.

Zelda's face turned red. "I shouldn't have even said that. Can you forget it?"

"No."

She closed her eyes, embarrassed by the slip of her tongue. "Okay, but don't ever say I told you. Karane is… seeing someone in this race."

Link's eyes widened and he grabbed Zelda. "It's not Pipit, is it? I'll kill him if he felt like keeping it a secret. If it's Pipit and you don't tell me… you're a bad friend."

Zelda hit him in the arm as the racers flew by their head, whipping their hair around. "First off, I'm your best friend. Get over it. Second, no… not Pipit. Which is why you can't tell! Because she does still like him, but she's been giving her flying lessons and it went from there."

Link leaned against the railing. "So it's Corbett? We know that he's big on romantic flying lessons."

Turning to Link with a bland look, Zelda rolled her eyes, craning her neck around him to see if they were coming around the bend yet. "It's not Corbett. That's all you'll get out of me. And don't be jealous."

Link pointed at something in the distance that was growing bigger. It was Pidge in the lead. They both sighed when they saw Pipit and Karane in the back of the group.

Around they went again. For the final loop, Link and Zelda went back to the main square.

Saffron and Hawke, true to form, fought hard for the lead. Both crashed into each other again and again, attempting to rattle the other, but neither broke. Everyone else was steadily on, flying hard but not even close to the leaders. And when they turned the island for the final time, Saffron beat out Hawke, landing in the square

They hopped off their Loftwings, panting for breath before grasping the other's hand in a sign of sportsmanship. Both went to praise their birds while watching the remaining flyers.

Zelda grabbed Link, whooping and bouncing excitedly when she saw Karane pass the line in third place. Then Wynda, Pipit, Corbett, Pidge, and Glen.

Each of them came in close together and sent their Loftwings back out to avoid crowding. The contestants all hugged. That class had genuine friendship amongst them. Link scoffed thinking of if he'd raced Groose. He'd be lucky to get a handshake.

Zelda and Link ran for Pipit first. Karane was occupied, deep in an energetic conversation with Saffron. Zelda threw her arms around Pipit.

"You did so good!"

Pipit laughed, grabbing her and swinging her excitedly. "You were rooting for Karane, but thank you!"

He put her down and Zelda laughed. "Well, Link rooted for you, so we canceled each other out."

Grabbing Link, Pipit laughed again, feeling the giddy rush of adrenaline still. "Goddess, Link! You don't know what you're missing! That was… that had to be the most alive I've ever felt!"

Link playfully pushed Pipit's head away from him. "Good thing I'm already dead inside."

"We're all going to the Lumpy Pumpkin after this. Do… do you want a ride over?"

Link looked like he wanted to say yes, but his head shook. "I'll just head back. But have fun."

Karane ran over and grabbed Zelda, giggling. "Saffron got a week's free meals at the Lumpy Pumpkin! She's paying for Hawke and I since," she made a playful face, "I am the incredible third place winner."

Pipit grabbed Karane and hugged her. "You got special flying lessons from the winner. That's not even fair. Pass on your wisdom to me, o teacher."

Karane nodded. "I can do that."

Link glanced knowingly at Zelda, and she caught him in the corner of her eye, keeping her face as unreadable as possible.

"We're going to the Lumpy Pumpkin right now. Come with us!" She didn't even address Link, knowing what his response would be.

Zelda smiled and took a step back. "No. It's for the winners, really. But thank you."

"Zelda," Link said, sensing why she wasn't going. He gestured to the Sky.

She shook her head. "We'll celebrate tomorrow because I'm so proud of you! But tonight, go be with your class."

"Okay! We'll fly around tomorrow!" Karane said, grabbing Pipit with a wave to Link and Zelda as she pulled him with her to the edge.

Link turned to Zelda. "You didn't do that for me, right?"

Zelda grinned. "I never do anything to hang out with you, Link."

He rolled his eyes, feeling guilty, as usual, that he was keeping her from something involving Loftwings. She chose him far too often.

"Okay. Let me at least get you something to eat at Piper's. It's no Lumpy Pumpkin though."

"Oh no," Zelda said, grabbing Link's arm. "I'll go with you, but I'm buying this time. You paid last time."

Link grinned. "Then I'll get something really expensive. Thanks Zelda!"

"Do _not _get her mushroom sauté this time. She raises that price so unfairly! I'm not loaded with rupees, you know. "

He scoffed. "You are so. Your father is the headmaster."

She made a face at him, playfully judgemental. "Do you think that I just take the school's money? 'Oh, dad, can you give me some of Groose's tuition money so I can pay for food on a date?'"

She stopped, her face frozen as her own words registered in her brain. Link turned to her, his mouth hanging open, though not without a smile. "A what?"

Zelda faltered. "I… I didn't-"

He took a step closer, watching her get more flustered as he did. "Are we on a date, Princess?"

"No. No I…" She took a deep, steadying breath, though it didn't help with Link so close to her. "It's just an expression. Forget I said it."

"Why would I want to forget our first date?" he asked, only half joking.

"It was a slip, that's all. Forget it."

In truth, he wanted to tell her that he wouldn't have minded in the slightest if it were, but he could see her embarrassment shutting her down, sending her into an internal place that she'd shrink into if something were bad enough.

"Hey," he said, grabbing her before she internalized completely. "I have a better idea, one that definitely isn't a date," he added with a smile. She rolled her eyes, so he continued. "We get free food from Henya, steal your new Remlit Mia, try to play with her until the very second she becomes a demon, and then you can do something that I'd so much rather you do than Pipit…"

"What?" she asked, a smile growing on her face, already walking towards the Academy.

This time, Link turned red. "I might have made a bet with Pip about his place in the race."

"Might have?" she asked, burning with curiosity.

He flicked his own earlobe. "I think I need you to find a needle."

Zelda's eyes widened in absolute delight. "Oh, we are so going back right now!"

Link watched her laugh, as if her comment had been brushed aside. He took a breath, focusing on the charge he felt where she grasped his hand. If there was one thing he did know how to do, it was how to make her smile.

And he'd have to remember to tell Pipit about their bet.

* * *

_A/N: Hi, my name is Fluff and this was my chapter. Nice to meet you! But this chapter was actually really hard to write and I don't know why! I just kept zoning out and doing other things! Then, I couldn't figure out whether this chapter or the next one should go first which kept me annoyed. But on the plus side, I have the next two chapters done, so next week might be another 3-chapter-week! _

_**Reviews**__: __bladeofthebookworms__: Hello again! Glad to see you back! Yeah, they need to get on the same page because Link's finally there! But where's the fun in that happening right away! Hahah! __StraightedgeEpyon:__ I do have plans for a TP and a different BOTW fic after this one. I'm not writing them yet, but I do have ideas, so I'll definitely keep your request in mind! I'm always in for suggestions. But (don't hate me) I'm not a Batman/DC fan and all I can think of is Adam West in his "really cool" batsuit, so that might be a poor reference hahaha! __Guest:__ I definitely got that chapter out quickly so I could come out of hiding. It's cramped under this desk. Draegor: Hahah how's one more chapter for spitting these chapters out! I did like Robyn, too. If I had a little more patience, I think I'd have given them both one extra chapter together. But thank you about Link!_


	15. Leviathan

**Chapter 14 (Age 17)**

Link and Zelda were both in their usual spot off near the bridge by the waterfall and the pumpkin patch, albeit not together. Zelda was dutifully reading the next chapter of their textbook, studying for the exam next week. It would be based on calculation of wingspan during an altitude drop. She rested her hand against her cheek.

While Zelda didn't hate arithmetic, she certainly wouldn't call it her favorite or best subject. It's why she was studying a week in advance. Now history or literature, on the other hand… _those_ were her subjects.

She was frantically scribbling notes in the margins and getting frustrated. She looked up, needing to take her mind off of the problem. Luckily, she had a distraction.

Link was off in the distance doing pushups. His arms were wobbling as he held himself up, but she wasn't surprised. He had to be in the two or three hundreds by now. He'd been at it for such a long time. And she was sure Master Kos or Eagus hadn't asked him to do this much outside of class.

She'd noticed that Link had become increasingly more determined to train outside of class. She knew he was trying to avoid getting a Loftwing, but at this point, he barely slept, and he was hardly around. She didn't know exactly who he was doing this for: himself, his mother's memory, or maybe just to prove something to Groose. But they both knew the truth of it: no matter how hard he trained, if he wanted to be a proper Knight, he'd have to fly.

She wondered if there was anything else she could do to encourage him to fly. She'd been out, though she still wasn't allowed to fly solo. Of course, several of her recent flights hadn't exactly been above board.

_Speaking of birds_, she reminded herself as she glanced down at the numbers on the page. _Wingspan… wingspan_…

Glancing up once more, she couldn't help but stare at Link. She could remember when he was just a scrawny boy, but certainly not now. And, though she'd only admit it to herself, she'd already been attracted to him before, no matter if he'd been a quiet fourteen year old, or or a soon-to-be Knight.

But she had to look away. She needed to calculate wing speed. No...wing_span_. Goddess was she going to fail if she kept this up. There was no reason to keep looking up and find _more_ reasons to be attracted to him.

Finally, after much effort, she felt herself get lost in the numbers, and her brain was on fire, turning quicker than she thought it could. The words were finally making sense as she turned them to numbers, and she was beginning to get the hang of the math.

"Zelda?" she heard, breaking her from her trance.

She looked up, and Link was jogging towards her. He was out of breath, like he'd been mid exercise when he'd stopped.

"Hang on, Link. Let me finish this—"

"Zelda!" Link snapped, more urgently.

This time, she quickly put the book down. She rarely heard him take this tone. "Yes?"

Link took her hand and helped her up, dragging her to where he'd been standing. Zelda squinted at a black mass that was quickly growing. It was indistinguishable as any one specific thing.

He pointed out into the sky, as if she couldn't see. "What in the name of the Goddess is that?"

"I have no idea, but it's getting bigger. A rain cloud, maybe?"

Together, they watched it grow in size, breaking apart from one great mass, into three large ones.

"Oh, Goddess," Link muttered, grabbing Zelda's arm. "We have to go. Whatever it is, it's coming right for Skyloft."

Suddenly, there was a shrill ring of a bell, and several of the villagers began to scream, a panic. They turned and watched many jump off Skyloft and onto their Loftwings, but no villagers were near them.

"Link, we don't have Loftwings," Zelda said, hitting his arm rapidly and in a panic, "We need to move!"

Link looked around, realizing that there was nothing near them. "And we won't make it to a building before that gets to us. It's going to hit the island."

Zelda squinted before gasping and returning to her frantic assault on Link's arm. "It's Leviathans, Link! Move!"

She pushed him, spurring him away from the edge of Skyloft. He grabbed her hand and pulled her alongside him as they quickly made their way up the hill to the forbidden cave. It was restricted for Knights only, but there was no other option. The Leviathans were about to knock straight into Skyloft.

Link pulled the tree blockade as hard as he could to allow Zelda to step through before he weaseled himself through as well. Almost immediately, they felt Skyloft tip onto its side.

Zelda let out a squeak as she tripped onto the ground, but found herself lying on the wall thanks to Skyloft's tilt. Link landed beside her. Both grabbed at their heads to block their ears from the roaring boom that the Leviathan's collision made.

"Go deeper! We're too close to the entrance."

Zelda pushed herself off the wall and immediately fell back down as Skyloft shook, trying to naturally right itself.

Link pulled her up, moving deeper into the cave. Soon, there was another loud bang, like an explosion, and Skyloft rocked again, only this time, it was the other way. Zelda grabbed ahold of Link's arm as she felt herself slip. She accidently brought Link down with her, and she hit the ground hard, feeling her forehead sting. Link hovered over her, catching himself before he could land on her. He stayed there as she cradled her head. Several small pebbles dislodged themselves from the cracks of the cave's ceilings, pelting Link's back without abandon. It felt like the whole thing would collapse if there were too many impacts.

When it finally stopped, he let out the breath he'd been holding and helped Zelda to her feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked, brushing off his back.

He looked her over, blinking a few times before reaching up to wipe a drop of blood off Zelda's forehead. "It looks like it stopped bleeding."

Her hand went up and came back with some blood on her fingertips. "Is that sound just me?"

"What?" he asked, looking around quickly, hearing the flutter of what sounded like a thousand wings. "Oh."

"Great, I hate Keese," Zelda muttered, pulling her hand away from her head.

Link stepped in front of her and groaned. "I wish I had a sword."

"I wish you did, too," Zelda whispered. "This isn't going to be fun."

Link pushed Zelda back against the wall of the cave as they waited for the Keese to reach them, knowing that without leaving, there would be no way to outrun them. And if they tried to run deeper into the cave, they'd only be met by more Keese and ChuChus. "What do you think we should do? Take our chances outside, or in here?"

Zelda felt the cool rock against her back, sending a chill up her spine. "The Leviathan migrations on record last longer than this. I don't think it's safe to leave yet, but it's not safe in here."

"Do you think we could make it to a building if we went now?"

Zelda shook her head. "Not based on what I've read. Our timing would be off and we'd risk getting knocked off Skyloft."

"Great," he said, as the wings grew deafening. "Ever been clawed by one of these?"

"No."

"What about a Remlit?"

"Yes."

Link chuckled humorlessly. "This will be worse."

The squeals of the Keese were reverberating off the cave walls, and Link finally felt three distinct claws dig into the skin just above his chest. He hissed and stumbled backwards into Zelda. Turning to wrap his arms around her waist, he pulled Zelda close to him, keeping her pinned between him and the wall. He felt more claws scrape down his back, though it was the claws that dug into the exposed skin on his neck and arms that hurt the worst. The claws were deep and sharp. He tried to stay quiet, being so close to Zelda's ear, but he couldn't help the pained grunts he was making as the Keese relentlessly assaulted his back, neck, and arms despite his attempts to elbow them off of him.

Zelda began to scream, more in surprise than anything, before she too was hissing in pain. Link tried to move her so her arms were covered, but there was nothing more that he could really do.

Whether one would consider it good luck, or more bad, Skyloft shook again, sending a violent shockwave through the cavern. The Keese let out panicked screeches and headed deeper into the cave. The impact sent Link and Zelda flying across the length of the cavern. Link landed hard on his spine against a sharp rock and started to cough. His muscles were clenched and he worked hard to loosen them since he was still holding Zelda and knew he had to be hurting her.

"Sorry," he groaned.

She didn't move. "It's okay. Are you hurt?"

"Yeah," he admitted, groaning with effort as he tried to sit back up.

Thankfully, the next Leviathan hit didn't move them quite so much from their position already on the floor, but the both ducked as more debris fell from the cave's ceiling.

Zelda crawled closer to Link and finally managed to push her wild hair from her eyes, tying it out of her face with a small band around her wrist. When she pushed some hair from her face, her hand came back bloody again.

"Great. Maybe we should have taken our chances outside," she muttered.

Link chuckled and looked around in the dim light. "Maybe."

They were holding still in the momentary calm, no noise except the ragged sounds of their breathing and the distant echo of beating wings.

"I know why no one is allowed in here without a Knight."

Link finally managed to sit up beside her. "I don't count?"

Zelda turned to him with a grin, despite their situation. "Do you have a sword?"

He made a knowing noise and didn't push it. Instead, he stood up and offered Zelda his hand. She went to take it but immediately pulled away. "I have blood on my hand from my head. Sorry." Link pulled her up by her arm instead.

The calm had been deceptive and they felt another hard rock of the island, sending them off their feet.

"Goddess!" Link yelled in anger, his frustration echoing off the cave walls. "Is this done yet?"

"Don't bring the Keese back!" Zelda scolded, covering his mouth with her good hand before pulling back. Again, she saw blood, but this wasn't hers.

"You're bleeding too, Link."

"I'll bet. We've hit the ground enough times," he said, noticing the number the Keese did on her arms. He could only imagine what he looked like. He grabbed Zelda's scratched-up arm; there were thin lines, some with blood seeping out. His own arms were burning, and he knew they'd both need a pretty decent potion when this was over. "Why did no one warn us about the migration?"

"That's a great question," Zelda said, looking back towards the light just around the corner. The ground rumbled again, and Zelda couldn't help but roll her eyes as she braced herself. "Not again."

"Wait, that's not a Leviathan," Link muttered. The ground felt different, and it was the cavern shaking, not an entire collision.

"Link!" Zelda yelled, crashing into him as hard as she could. He turned at her voice and caught her in his arms as they both tumbled over. Link looked over Zelda's shoulder and saw a piece of the ceiling cave had collapsed right where he'd been standing. And under it was at least one Keese wing. Link rested his head back onto the ground for a moment, taking a deep breath. The impact on the ground had his already bruised back throbbing. "Thanks," he said, tightening his grip on Zelda. She could feel him shaking, and knew he couldn't let go of her if he wanted right now.

She rested her head down against him, feeling pain and exhaustion. She knew he could feel her shaking as well. Sitting up slightly, she found her hand moving without her permission, brushing against Link's cheek, just to the side of his cut and bruised mouth. "Not too bad when it could have been a squashed head."

Link chuckled and hand ran through her hair for a moment, brushing the loose strands out of the way as he looked at her cut forehead. "Are you dizzy?"

"I don't know. I'm a little too stressed out to tell what's from what. I just want to get out of here. It might be over."

"Come on, let's get to Owlan," he breathed out, feeling her own breath mingling with his.

But there was another crack, smaller debris and pebbles pelting down on them as a warning.

Everything moved so quickly. Link and Zelda tried to stand, but both faltered from their injuries and couldn't make it to their feet quickly enough. But Link felt something push hard against his side that knocked him off to the side.

"Zelda!" Link called, absolute panic cracking his voice as he crawled back over to her. A decent sized piece of the ceiling was beside her, and it was tinged red with blood. When he reached her, he could see the entire side of her face was dripping with fresh, new blood.

"Zelda?"

Her only response was a soft whimper, but it was something, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Link angled himself above her head, shielding her in case it happened again, and grabbed her hand in his. "Hey, hey, don't close your eyes."

"That's rich…" she gasped out almost inaudibly, "Coming from you."

Link chuckled, more relieved than anything to hear her talk after that hit. "If I'm saying it, you know it's true."

Blood was pooling around her and he could hear her breathing pick up. He brought his other hand up to her hair, trying to feel for the wound. When she hissed and twitched, he knew he'd found it.

Letting go of her, Link looked around for anything to stop the bleeding. There was nothing but rock, and the blood was seeping out quickly. He pulled off his shirt and bunched it up, pressing it against her head. Grabbing her hand, he had her help hold it in place, giving her something to focus on.

"You owe me a new shirt, Zel."

"And I can't even see you to enjoy this," Zelda choked out through the pain.

Link let out a strangled laugh. "What?"

Ignoring him, she reached for his free hand, already feeling the entire world spinning faster and faster. She needed something to steady her. He took her hand in his again and kept their other holding pressure against her head.

Zelda squeezed his hand. "This was our dumbest plan yet."

Link squeezed back. "We should have taken our chances being thrown off Skyloft and impaled by a Leviathan."

"Absolutely. Let's get out of here. It should be over."

With a crack and a rumble of the cavern floor, the harsh sound brought the foreboding of another piece of rock falling. Zelda waited to hear it hit the ground, but it never did. Instead, she felt Link's body press down hard against her, casting all of the air in her own lungs out, and his hands loosened completely from hers.

"Link?"

Nothing.

"Link!"

With a final swallow of her nervously thick spit, she felt her head spin once again before everything went dark.

* * *

_"They're in here!" Link remembered hearing the voices. "Oh Goddess!" the voice cried. "I think they're dead! Zelda's dead! Goddess, no!"_

_"Shut up, Groose! Zelda!" came a lighter voice. A girl's voice. Karane " Someone get the Headmaster!"_

_"Link, Zelda!" a new voice had joined. _

_Karane's light footsteps were followed by two sets of heavier ones. "Help me move this!"_

_There were grunts of effort before Link felt a thousand times lighter, and breathing came much easier, though he still couldn't move. _

_Arms went under his and dragged him off to the side. "I've got you, bud," said Pipit's voice. "Groose, don't touch her until Horwell or Owlan come in."_

_"She's bleeding! I'm not going to let her bleed!"_

_Karane's voice was lower to the ground than Groose. "Looks like Link stopped it. It's dry now."_

_But Groose remained panicked. "Why isn't she up then? Wake her up!"_

_"Shut up, Groose!" Karane said again, exasperated. "You're not the only one who's concerned!"_

_"I got them," came the quiet, out of breath voice of Fledge. His footsteps neared Link, and he could hear a flurry of more. _

_"Oh Goddess! Zelda, my darling girl, are you alright? Please, say something. Horwell, get over here!"_

Link couldn't remember how long it had been since, but light shone through his eyelids. He'd been moved, because there was no way the cave had that much light before.

"Zelda?" he asked.

Everything hurt, but he managed to get his eyes open, seeing the familiar ceiling of his own room.

Link sat up, crying out in pain as he did.

The door whipped open moments later. Instructor Horwell rushed inside and bent beside Link's bed, holding him down. "Calm yourself, Link. Be calm."

"Zelda?" Link gasped, looking around.

Horwell kept Link down, but his hands were gentle, as was his voice. "Zelda is fine. She woke some time ago."

"She's okay?"

"Yes, Link. We had to give you a concoction of Tulac for your pain when you got back or you'd have woken around the same time. It put you to sleep. She told us what happened. It looked as if you saved her. "

"She saved me. Don't let her lie to you."

Horwell smiled kindly. "She sustained mild head trauma and was ill. She is in bed, but she will be perfectly fine barring a few headaches."

Link gritted his teeth and swung his legs out of bed, groaning as pain radiated throughout his spine.

"No, no, no! You must rest while your body heals. Your back! You were crushed, Link."

Link looked at him. While he intended for some sort of look that one might even consider threatening, he imagined it must have actually looked sad and pathetic.

"I know you want to see her, but you need to rest. You can see her soon."

Though he was weak, Link pushed his body past Horwell's feeble attempts to stop him. Horwell sighed, not fighting him as Link staggered toward the door.

"Please, come back. You'll be in greater pain by the time you reach the stairway and I promise you can see her after you rest some."

Unfazed, Link bit back the pain. The Tulac concoction had worn off, and he could feel where the cave had hit him. Unfortunately, it was in a spot that seemed to be connected to every muscle he needed to exist, from his lungs, to his legs.

When he reached the first step, he was already out of breath, his head spinning, his feet weak, ready to scream as everything radiated out in pain. But steeling himself, he took another step. He needed to _see_ that Zelda was okay. The last thing he'd seen was her bleeding out under him, and the last he'd heard was her father crying out in horror and anguish.

Horwell appeared beside him, offering his arm as a support. "You'll regret this after, Link. Your body isn't ready for stairs."

Link took yet another step.

It wasn't as if he didn't believe Horwell about Zelda. But seeing her wasn't a desire. He didn't _want_ to climb these stairs. He _had_ to.

When he and Horwell reached the top, Link was sure that he would vomit. His body was shaking beyond his control, and Horwell was quick to help him to the ground to let him rest.

"I can ask her to come out here."

Link grabbed Horwell's sleeve as he went to move and he shook his head, too winded for words.

"Link, please. Now you're being beyond stubborn."

Uncaring, Link pushed himself uneasily off the ground and leaned against the wall for a moment and blinked away the darkness that crept along the edge of his vision.

Okay, maybe there was still some Tulac in him after all.

With just a few more steps, he all but threw himself against Zelda's doorframe. His hand lightly tapped the door.

Vaguely, Link could hear that Horwell had left him for another room, presumably to get help.

Zelda's voice called out from the other side of the door. "Please, Father, you just looked in on me."

Link knocked again, and this time, he heard footsteps.

"Father, I—" Zelda stopped just in front of the door and her eyes widened at Link's wobbly frame. "Link!"

After blinking away the darkness several times, he took in her bandaged wrists, her wet hair, the small line of thread that went from her fine skin and disappeared into her hairline.

Zelda let out a gasp and threw her arms around Link's shoulders, holding him tight. "You're alright! They wouldn't let me leave my room. I wanted to see you."

Link tightened his grip on her waist, despite the massive amounts of pain that it caused. His other hand held the door frame, keeping himself steady. His mouth rested on her neck and he felt her shudder as his breath tickled her skin. But he couldn't move if he wanted to.

"Link…" Instructor Owlan said, moving up behind him with Horwell in tow.

"You're okay," Link breathed against her.

He felt three sets of hands on him, keeping him from going down too hard as Link's legs buckled. He let go of Zelda just before falling to his knees before being lowered onto his side.

* * *

"Don't move," a voice said.

Link blinked his eyes open and groaned, looking around.

"I said not to move."

This time, the voice rang clear. There was only one person who sounded like that.

Link rolled over, despite a grunt of annoyance from the girl in the chair beside him.

"You're alright?" he muttered.

Zelda grabbed his hand and squeezed. "I might throw up on you, but I'm fine otherwise."

"Great," he mumbled with a smile. "What happened?"

Zelda shrugged. "Well, if you mean to you, you collapsed in my room. Luv and Bertie mixed up a potion that'll make us sick, but we'll heal faster. Hence, me potentially throwing up on you. But if you mean to Skyloft, the Knights are out there now trying to figure out what happened to Jardon. He was supposed to be on watch for them, but he never reported in."

Link grinned. "You're better."

"Because I'm rambling? Thanks."

"Why are you here?" he asked, looking around. He was definitely in his room.

Zelda looked toward the door before looking back at Link. "Well, they figured it was safer for you if I just came here so you wouldn't disrespect Horwell again and take the stairs."

"I had to know."

"Hey," Zelda said, lightly pushing him. "Scoot over."

Link grunted as he pushed himself up against the wall to make room. Zelda gingerly moved beside him, still in pain herself. She turned to face him. His eyes were slits as they tried to stay awake. She could feel how heavy hers were, too.

"Wait," she said, moving slowly to press her lips against Link's cheek, though she rested dangerously close to his lips. "Thank you."

Link breathed out a tired laugh, too slow and tired to turn his head to catch her lips before she moved back, so he reached up with great effort to run his thumb beside the stitch on her head. "Thank you."

She turned and settled against him, making herself comfortable. "Is this okay?"

"Mmm," he hummed, draping his arm over her. "Like old times."

She couldn't think of exactly what 'old times' he meant, unless he meant the times they'd slept outside, huddled close together and waking up with their arms clinging to the other. But as he began to rub mindless circles over the exposed, unbandaged skin of her arm, she realized that there was something familiar about this, like they'd stayed together a thousand times.

"What if someone comes in?" Link whispered into her ear, already half asleep. "Your father?"

Zelda felt her heavy eyes drooping. "I don't think I can even care tonight."

But Link didn't hear her. His quiet, even breathing tickled Zelda's ear before she, too, drifted off.

* * *

_A/N: Fun fact! This scene had to be rewritten twice because it was one of the first scenes I wrote! Which, honestly, is probably why I'm biased and it's one of my favorite chapters. We'll consider all these rocks prep for the horror story that is Eldin. Or is it only me who gets brutally assaulted by rocks every time I try to run up those slopes? _

_**Reviews**: PennyForYourThoughts024: I don't mean to kill you, but I'm 100% posting two more chapters this week because they're already sitting in my doc manager mostly ready to go! Green Swordsman: Thank you! I'd love to say that he's being hit in the head with signs (too soon?)! ThrowerofBooks: I think your name is absolutely perfect and I'm so here for it! I love balancing on a tightrope of fluff-overload and just enough fluff. I'll usually tone it down, but sometimes I'll fall off in the wrong direction haha! Cosmo14: I'll just combine my response to you here! Link and Pipit are sadly clueless! But what makes them worse is that they bounce off each other. They're both on the same page, so neither has that little doubt eating at them because of something the other said since they're both being stupid haha. Also, be prepared for some fast chapters! I liked that Robyn was just a bit of a "wrong time" kind of character who wasn't mean or anything, she just wanted a decent relationship. I felt for her. Him twirling his sword in most of the games is one of my actual favorite little mannerisms for his character! I don't see *__cough* __any *cough* foreshadowing here. I feel so bad for Gaepora! He's just surrounded by hormonal teens and can't escape them! I originally wanted this to be a trilogy with the first being Hylia and that Link, then this, then a post game, but right now, I can't figure out a solid plot. But if I can, a sequel will absolutely happen because I've wanted that since the start. And then for your other review, I did miss that opportunity in this chapter! I love their in-game playfulness like when she tosses him off a cliff... twice. He's definitely wising up, but he's still got that teen angst holding him back! And right now, the Skyloft version of pain meds hahaha. _


	16. The Sky Festival

**Chapter 15 (Age 17)**

Link sat on the roof of the Academy, watching the Bazaar buzz with activity. It was a yearly habit of his. Though he hadn't gone to the Sky Festival since he was about 13 when he didn't speak to a soul, he always enjoyed watching others hype up the festivities.

Venders were moving their stalls out into the open, just in front of the large tent. There was a stage set up in front of the Goddess statue where several of the local musicians, and some from the outer islands, would come to play all night. It was a celebration that lasted only for a night, though preparation for it usually took a few days. It would occur later that day, and Link watched as several of the younger Academy students flocked to the town square to help set up. Honestly, it already looked ready.

Then, he saw someone else come out of the Academy doors. His chest tightened at the familiar blonde head of hair. Looking away, he felt the heat of their argument last night as fresh as if it had happened that morning.

He groaned, hoping she wouldn't turn, but of course, as if sensing his thoughts, she turned and looked up at the roof. Link offered her a weak smile, but she couldn't return it and turned away, catching up with Fledge as he went to join the activity.

It had started out okay… normal even… just under a week ago between him and Zelda:

"_So, Link, are you going to the Sky Festival this year?" she'd asked, following him as she eagerly waited for his answer._

_Link had scoffed. "No. I never go."_

_Zelda's forced smile had faltered. She'd expected no other answer but couldn't help but get her hopes up. "Well, someone asked me to go with them. I don't really want to, I mean, I _do_, but I didn't know if _you_ wanted to go with me. You know… as friends. In a group, even. Fledge, Pipit, Karane. We'd all love for you to come with us."_

_But Link missed her meaning and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and Groose, Stritch, and Cawlin would love to find some reason to ruin the night. The very same three who can't let me enjoy a day of peace. You know Groose has been on me more now that we're about to be the next graduating class. If I go there, we'll both ruin everyone's night and you'll wish I'd stayed home."_

"_You wouldn't even see them. I promise. They won't bother us and you can't let them run your life."_

_Link's eyes widened as an obvious realization had dawned on him. "Groose asked you to go to this thing, didn't he?"_

_Zelda had narrowed her eyes in response, wishing he hadn't figured that part out. "Of course, he did. And I, being the graceful woman that I am, ever so politely declined."_

_He snorted. "So, you yelled at him and then scared the living light out of him with some non-veiled threat?"_

_She grinned sweetly, "You know me so well."_

_But Link's smile faded. "Knowing that you can scare him off with your charm is not something that's going to make me change my mind, Zel."_

"_It's our last festival before Pipit and Karane are sent out on their assignments. I want us all to do something together."_

"_What's the big deal?" he asked, feeling suddenly defensive. This was him every single year. Why did he need to change out of the blue? "This festival happens every year and we all see each other every day. It's not like we can't all hang out the next day, or the day after that or even the day after that one."_

"_It's an event, Link. It's special because it's something fun with your friends."_

"_I don't want to go, Zelda. I don't want to. I hate the Sky Festival and you know it."_

_Link watched her closely for a moment. What he _wanted_ was to say yes. Of course he wanted to spend all night talking and dancing with her. If there was one thing he'd realized recently, it was just how much he wanted that. But there was something… some horrible, stubborn, childish part of him that needed to refuse to back down. He truly hated attending the Sky Festival, everyone's eyes watching for the newest gossip, the need to dress up into something far more uncomfortable than being caught in someone's prying stare. _

Link knew he'd been caught looking at Zelda a second time when his entire body warmed up under her judgemental eyes. Though he'd been entirely in his own mind, his eyes still needed something to do. And as usual, they were on her without him even realizing it.

She narrowed her eyes at him, though he couldn't tell if it was because he was so far away, or because she was still just as angry. And truly, she had every right to be.

_Even days after their initial conversation, Zelda hadn't given up, and instead of her persistence turning on a switch in Link's brain- one that offered him the perfect opportunity to take a leap- it stressed him out unconditionally. For days, she brought up the Sky Festival and how there was still time to change his mind. That she had found someone to go with but wouldn't mind changing her plans to go with a group instead._

"_Who are you going with?" he'd asked her in a moment of uncharacteristically awkward silence. She'd brought it up enough times to try to change Link's mind, but her expression said that she hadn't been expecting to have to give him that answer. _

_Her face had turned pink, but she shook her head. "Just a Knight."_

He couldn't take the glare in her eyes, and swung his feet over the edge, needing to head back inside to the comfort and solitude of his room. It wasn't until he was at his desk with the block of wood and whittling knife in his hand that he realized he needed to make it right… somehow. He absently began to carve, not knowing what there was that he could possibly do at this point. A simple apology wasn't enough. It didn't speak nearly loud enough to make up for how stupid he'd been.

_Karane had popped around the corner and waved at everyone, settling in a seat beside Fledge and Zelda._

"_Hey, guys. Zelda, I just got word that they cut Corbett's flight route short for the festival and is returning early. He wants to see you before tomorrow."_

_Zelda's face flushed a deep red and her hand covered her mouth, eyes closed. She'd been caught and quickly went to stand, to get away. "I… um… thank you."_

_Link had grabbed her hand to stop her from hurrying from him. And she looked ready to bolt. "Corbett? The one who's practically in love with you? Yeah, he's 'just a Knight'. It's like if I was going with Robyn and said, 'Oh, I'm just going with some girl from the Academy.' It's a lie."_

"_A white lie," she admitted quickly. That, she had no intention of denying. And while she knew that there were plenty of other students she could have gone with, ones she didn't have a past with, she'd chosen to say yes to Corbett once she'd known Link wouldn't go. And deep down, she knew exactly why she said yes to the one person who'd get a rise from... a specific someone she knew. "But what does it even matter? It's not like you're going. I liked being with Corbett, and now he's taking me."_

_Karane and Fledge looked at each other with a nervous glance. Karane knew she'd accidentally started something. _

_Link ran his hand through his hair, stressed and anxious. He hadn't anticipated this white-hot jealousy that burned through him. It was one thing to think she was just going with another friend from the Academy. It was another to know it was Corbett. "Are you with him again or something?"_

_Zelda shook her head. Her expression dared Link to challenge her. She knew what her going with Corbett would do to Link, but she did it anyway. She was frustrated, but suffered from the same indomitable force that Link had of needing to stick to her plan once she'd begun. Link's jealousy became more apparent the more she'd talk about Corbett. But a deep-rooted place of confusion over where she and Link stood had her questioning if his reaction was out of friendship... or not. _

_Link scoffed. _"_He's back, though, and you've been trying to get me to go to this stupid festival so, what, I could watch you spend all night with him? That's low for you. You know you're the only reason I would have gone since no one else has been bothered by my decision to stay in my room, like I usually do. You think I want to go just to see you and Corbett dance or something? You trying to turn this into a spectacle?"_

_Link and Zelda were in their own little bubble now and heard nothing that Karane or Fledge was trying to say to stop the argument. There was only the two of them. Zelda glared at Link. After his unwillingness to listen to her for days and days, she couldn't take him anymore. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Link. Back off."_

_"It's not jealousy. Go, have fun! But Goddess, Zelda, of all people though, it's Cor—"_

_Zelda held up a hand, stopping him. "Did you have any intention of asking me to the festival? No. You made that pretty clear. Now, you don't get to have any say in this. The only opinion you get on this is the one I ask for, and I'm not asking today, Link."_

"_Me?" he asked, blinking away the confusion. Neither of them seemed to notice that, rather than the others backing away to offer privacy, Pipit had joined the other two spectators to their fight. And Link was blindsided in a way no one else seemed to be. "You wanted __me__ to ask you to the festival? The festival that we've never gone to? That__ I've__ never gone to? The festival that has never been an issue for us? By the Goddess's blade Zelda, how was I supposed to know that's what you wanted? I can't read your mind!"_

_Zelda's eyes softened. Her anger seemed to fade into something else. "You're supposed to pay attention. I've been asking you about it over and over, practically begging you to come to the festival. And I know you dismissed it out of habit, but you didn't even take it in."_

"_I heard you."_

"_You didn't __listen__, Link. Now, I'm going with Corbett tomorrow, but... I wish I was there with you. I wanted to spend this Sky Festival with you. Is that clear enough?"_

_Link stuttered, completely caught off guard. "I…"_

"_Don't. Don't talk to me, Link. Not right now."_

"_I…"_

"_Please, Link. Don't."_

And what could he do now? She had someone she was going with, someone she clearly liked. It wasn't like he could just go down to the festival and make it up to her, pretend it never happened. His presence would do more harm than good at this point. He was too late to undo that damage. He'd ruin her night, her date, and her opinion of him.

As he thought to himself, he realized that the wood block in his hand began to take the form of a Loftwing. Just the head and some of the wing, but enough that it was recognizable. He hadn't even noticed what he'd been making, but the wood chips were scattered all over his clothes and the floor as he'd casually been leaning back in his chair.

The door opened and Pipit came in. There was a second door that opened, and Link knew that Fledge was on his side of the room.

Link's eyes darted up to Pipit's, but then went quickly back to his statuette. "Time already?"

Pipit grabbed his things from his wardrobe and laid them out on the bed, quickly slipping off his boots and leaning back for a moment of comfort before everything would start.

"Not quite. You can still change your mind and join us."

But Link shook his head and flicked the knife back against the block. "There's no point. Thanks though."

Pipit sat up, looking Link square in the eyes. "Next year, you have a lot to make up for."

"Why do you care so much if I go?"

But Pipit sniggered and leaned forward, slapping Link upside the head. Link winced with a small 'ow.'

"Not to me, stupid."

"Oh no, not you too. Don't you start."

"Yes, me. You're my friend, Zelda's my friend. I know what's going on with you and I can see what's happening. You didn't man up to ask her and now she wants to feed you to the Remlits."

Link narrowed his eyes, turning to Pipit with more venom than he'd intended. "Are you picking Karane up now or later, then?"

Pipit stopped to stare at Link, the tension filling the room. Pipit hadn't found it in him to ask Karane either. "Fine, stay here and mope. You brought it on yourself."

"I'm sorry," Link said quickly, realizing his mistake. "I'm just..."

"Angry," Pipit said, nodding. "It's okay. I get that."

Pipit was in the same boat as he was, and he knew how it felt to miss an opportunity. Luckily for Pipit, he'd listened to his better instincts and was still going with Karane as a part of a group, if not the way he'd wanted to.

Pipit hesitated before grabbing his things off the bed. "You know where we'll be."

* * *

Hours later, Link had dusted himself off and found his way into the Sparring Hall. It had more than surprised him to see Eagus sitting down with a stack of paper in his lap, trying to study up on how he could possibly do justice in replacing Master Kos. Link had moved on to the training logs so Eagus could get some work done.

"Hey! Fix your footwork. That was sloppy," he'd called, looking up for a moment.

"Sorry, Master Eagus."

Link continued to hack at the training logs, moving around it in a very specific pattern. Left, right, left, then reverse for a moment, turn and slash, step again, thrust forward, and then return to a defensive stance before doing it all again.

"Wouldn't I have a shield for this?" Link asked, realizing that his other hand was feeling a bit useless.

Eagus scoffed. "You might practice with one, but we don't have much real crime, Link. You're fighting off Chu-chu's and Keese. Sometimes, there will be a few rogue birds to terrorize us, but there is nothing in the Sky that would actually require a shield. It would weigh down our Knights and Loftwings."

"How did we think to make shields, then?"

Eagus looked at him blandly. "Do you just sleep through all of your classes?"

Link shrugged and restarted the pattern once again.

"The Goddess' Hero bore a shield. We know of it because he knew of it."

"Fair enough. I like using them though."

"Some Knights enter the Sparring Championship with shields. Others like to switch up their weapons. It's a contest of skill, not of practicality. You could start using one in training and do that."

"Yeah, I might."

Eagus looked up, putting his full attention on Link. He noticed the boy was sluggish and sloppier than usual. A sign of distraction.

"You don't need to be here, Link. You can go to the festival. And no, you being here is not keeping me from going. I would be here anyway. Too much work to leave."

Link looked at Eagus and sighed, unsure. He swung the sword around absently in his hand, letting it move between his fingers and around his palm without so much as a second thought. It danced wildly and gracefully through his hand.

"Hey!" Eagus chastised. "That's not a toy. You're distracted and could get hurt."

Link finally noticed what he'd been doing and set the sword down. "Sorry."

"You know what? Get out of here. Whether you go to the festival or not, your head isn't in this today. I don't want my favorite student to decapitate himself."

Link grinned. "Technically you haven't started yet, so right now I'm still your only student." Eagus snorted and gestured to the door and Link stepped into the cool night air.

It was more than cool… it was cold. He figured it had more to do with the fine sheen of sweat that clung to his skin from practicing than the actual air itself, but it felt unusually cold. He shivered and headed inside to wash the workout off of him. Changing into a loose pair of pants and a loose shirt, he decided once and for all not to cause a scene by showing up, especially not after the festival had already been underway.

He was one of the few people in the Academy and took the moment to savor the silence. The loud music from the square lofted through the Academy, but the silence he was interested in wasn't the absence of sound all together, but the lack of voices. There was always a murmur through the halls.

Looking at the bird he'd carved and painted earlier, Link took it in his hands and turned it. It was dry, thankfully, but he appreciated the color he'd decided on. Though by no means did he consider himself artistic, he thought the light blue feathers were a nice touch. Though the color was not entirely impossible for a Loftwing, like pink or something, the statuette had a unique air about it, one that made it seem personal.

He opened his door and jogged up the stairs, knocking on Zelda's door out of habit more than anything before opening it. It looked far more chaotic than usual, but he stepped around the mess to her desk and left the Loftwing on top. Grabbing a piece of paper and her quill, he quickly wrote the word "sorry," leaving that next to the bird before ducking out and heading back to his room.

He didn't think he'd begun whittling the bird with the intention of giving it to Zelda, but the more he held the blue bird, the more he realized it just _felt _like hers.

After trying to pass the time any way he could, Link finally gave up and figured he'd just call it a very early night. He was just about to put his feet up on his bed when he heard a light rap on his door. More than slightly confused, he got up quickly. It wouldn't be Eagus. He'd bang on the door like there was a fire. Link turned the knob, and there was Zelda.

"Wha—" he started, but she didn't wait. She just barged into his room, standing in the center with a concentrated look on her face and her arms hugging herself around the waist.

But Link certainly couldn't concentrate. She was in a gold and beige off-the-shoulder dress. The top was sequined with specks of gold to make it glisten, along with the faux cut out designs that gave the illusion of skin. A gold belt rest on her hips and the plain beige fabric that fell in neat, wide pleats gave the impression of simplicity, though she was anything but.

Her hair was tied back and a piece of hair formed a sort of braided crown around her head. Though she wore no jewelry, she looked a Goddess: beauty without compare.

Link continued to stutter for a few moments before pulling himself together. "Why—"

But again, she didn't let him speak. "I don't want to fight with you," she muttered. "I don't think I was being unreasonable, but I may have been a bit aggressive in how I got my point across. And ignoring you just made it worse."

"No, you were right. I heard you say it so many times, but I didn't listen. I wanted to go down there so many times tonight to meet you, but I didn't want to ruin your… date. Which begs the question…"

Zelda grinned and bit her lip. "Don't gloat, but about half an hour in, I lost him. I managed to find him some time later with his friends having a good time. He'd been talking about them the whole time and about how he never got to see them anymore, so when I found him, I didn't go over. I just stayed with my friends instead."

"Sans one."

With a chuckle, Zelda nodded. "Exactly."

"But why are you back at the Academy so early? In my room, especially."

Zelda looked around, as if she hadn't actually realized where she'd found him. "True. Do you want to go outside? It's pretty chilly without the festival's bonfire, but it's nice out."

Link opened his nearest drawer. "Wait. Here." He handed her one of his black sweaters, and she pulled it over her head, messing up her hair a bit and covering the painstaking detail of her dress. The sweater was incredibly loose on her, so much so that her hands didn't make it all the way through the sleeve.

She stared down at her arms. "Did you really bulk up this much? Your sweaters and jackets were never this loose on me." She hugged her arms again, only this time, it wasn't from the chill, but she relished the comfort his sweater brought.

He pulled one over his own head. Link wriggled his eyebrows at her in playful seduction at her barely veiled compliment, and they both chuckled, rarely able to take the other too seriously.

When they went outside, they could hear the lively music from the festival perfectly, but the view was cut off.

"How about the roof?" Zelda suggested.

Link looked pointedly at her long dress. She whacked his arm. "I can do anything in a dress. But you're going first because… it's a dress."

Link snorted and passed her, a bemused look on his face. He grabbed the raised edge of the wall and scooted onto the platform, watching Zelda carefully as she followed. He was ready to move quickly in case she slipped, no matter how much faith she had in her ability.

But she made it, if a bit slower than normal, and they climbed the strong vines to stand on the Academy rooftop. The view of the square was unobstructed, and they could see the lights, the fire, and the people even through the darkness. Villagers stood at the stalls and danced to the exciting music. And by no means did the music soften, despite the distance.

Link glanced at Zelda through the darkness, forcing the words that had been stuck in his throat out of his mouth.

"I mean… I know I have impeccable taste, and you look fantastic in my very stylish plain sweater… but you… you looked very…" he reached up to grab his neck, a nervous tic he had. "You looked…"

Zelda let out a half laugh half snort, content to go back to teasing him rather than ignoring him. "Does it pain you that much to say it?"

"No, it's just… have I ever said it? I've meant to, but now I'm struggling, and I think I've been a horrible friend."

Zelda giggled more than anything. "I don't think you have, Link. Wow, you _are_ a bad friend."

"Well," he said, "You look nice. Tonight. Very nice. Like… pretty, you know? You look very pretty. Tonight. You look pretty."

Zelda smiled broadly, grateful for the darkness as she felt her face heat up. "Well," she said looking him over. "You look like an angry Remlit chasing its prey at night."

He looked down at the baggy clothes he intended to sleep in and nodded with the remnants of his nerves coming out in laughter. "Yeah. I look a little rough. Thanks for the vivid comparison. You couldn't have gone with 'terrible' or something."

"It wouldn't have done you justice. I mean… did you have wood chips on your shirt before?" she reached out to brush her hand across the fabric where she thought she'd seen it. Her touch had him flinch, unprepared for the contact in the dark.

"Yeah. I had a project I was working on."

They fell into a long silence after that, and Link felt compelled to fill it after several minutes. "So, you just left Corbett there?" he couldn't help but ask.

"I did tell him I was leaving; thank you for giving me so much credit."

"I wouldn't have told him."

Zelda chuckled softly. "I know you wouldn't."

Link nudged her shoulder. "You're sad." It wasn't a question.

"I just…do you ever feel like it's the last time you'll ever do something? Like something inexplicable is going to happen at any moment, and your whole world will change in an instant?"

"That's dark for you." His tone was concerned, but she couldn't see him or his expression.

She'd closed her eyes but was flooded by the visions of her nightmares. "I've been having those dreams again… dreams of fire. Everything is burning, people are screaming. Children are lost, running through the streets looking for their parents or for safety. I see these things. They're destroying a world. A world that never knew they just had their last birthday celebration, or festival. A world that didn't know it was the last time they'd sleep in their beds with their family under one roof. It's dark, but there's a light. A figure who comes out of it and spreads her light. The Goddess, maybe? She saves as many people as she can, but she, too, is overwhelmed. And then I wake up, and I look out at Skyloft and I wonder if something like that would ever happen here. If one day, life as we know it just stops, and the whole Sky shifts."

"That won't happen."

"It could. This could be the last Sky Festival we ever have. But you're probably right. They're just nightmares."

Link moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace.

Zelda leaned back into him, clinging to the real. The here and the now. She was here. Link was here. Skyloft was here. But she still couldn't help the nagging fear that one day… something would change.

Link let her go and moved to the front of her, facing her just inches from her face. Zelda watched him carefully to see what he would do. And what he did surprised her more than anything.

With an incredibly serious look on his face, Link began to sway to the loud, energetic music that wafted up to the roof from the square below. His rhythmic swaying turned from a light and casual back and forth, to him taking a step with his right foot, then his left, stepping to the beat. His head joined the rest of him as he rocked back and forth. His arms began to swing and his steps got wider, his movements more loose and free. They certainly didn't follow any convention of dancing she knew.

Zelda couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped her lips. His hips joined in the motion, and he was vividly dancing with the music… if you could call that dancing.

"Goddess! What are you doing?" Zelda laughed as he began to whip his head back and forth, his hair falling into his eyes as he did.

"Dance with me," he said, holding out a hand. "Come on."

She pursed her lips and shook her head, but took his hand. "_This_ isn't dancing."

Link unceremoniously spun her around, catching her by the waist for fear that he'd nearly knocked her over. He let go and started to sway again, his hands balled up into fists up against his chest as he bobbed to the beat.

Zelda couldn't help but laugh again. He was ridiculous, and yet…

She found herself copying him, swaying to the quick-tempo music. Admittedly, she had more natural grace than Link did and she managed to make the wild movements actually resemble something akin to dancing, but she could feel the absurdity of it all in her attempt to keep up with Link. She could feel her hair coming loose as she crashed into Link. The bottom of her dress flailed out, and the wind hit her like she was a Loftwing, wobbling from her wild spinning. Again, she and Link collided, holding on to each other for balance that neither of them really had.

When the song ended, and another energetic one began, she held up her hand, out of breath. "I can't," she chuckled.

Link leaned against the taller second roof and Zelda joined beside him.

"Did that count as me going to the festival with you?"

She scoffed. "No. But it was a good start to a very lengthy apology that you owe me."

Link made a playfully offended face. "Oh?"

"I think it's only fair," she said, a smile on her face. She wasn't expecting one truly, and she was happy to be with him here and now.

"How long do you want me to grovel for?"

Zelda raised her eyebrows, intrigued.

But Link moved away from the wall, rubbing his neck as he suddenly felt a shift in the atmosphere, or at least there was a shift for him. He spun to face her, suddenly too aware that he was just in his casual, baggy, sleeping clothes. "How about this: Will you go with me to the next Sky Festival?"

Zelda walked up next to him, like there was a magnetic pull that kept bringing her to his side. "What if you're with someone else by then? Then you'll break your promise and we'll just have to fight all over again for that reason."

He couldn't look at her, but he felt himself grin. "I won't be with anyone else, don't worry."

* * *

_A/N: Did you think they were going to slow dance and kiss? PSYCH! Not today, trope! Also, I'm so sorry but I couldn't figure out how to describe "normal" (not slow) dancing so this was my best effort! Thankfully, Link's not meant to be good. Final fun fact, the Loftwing he made for her is the one that's on her desk in the game. I only saw that in my most recent playthrough, so I added it in. _

_**Reviews**: PennyForYourThoughts024: Keese were one of the banes of my existence. I don't know why, but I could not kill Keese for the life of me! I'd wave the remote around and Link would just keep spinning sideways and getting hit and I would just faceplant a table or something because I can't kill Keese. To be fair, I suck at killing them in BOTW too, so it's probably just me! bladeofthebookworms: Thank you! Those poor Leviathans had to be blind to whack into a giant island like Skyloft, but I figured they might be like birds and migrate, but that it's usually controlled by the Knights so Skyloft isn't a bouncy-house! RandomFF. netuser: No, I completely agree with you! I hated the early enemies! Deku Baba's were not fun,especially the yellow/orange ones. And I tried to do that double jump/roll that you can do in TP so many times the first time I played, but I had to keep reminding myself that I couldn't get behind enemies that easily anymore, so I feel you! Throwerofbooks: I'd seriously love to write a sequel. I'd probably have to replay the game again first, so it wouldn't be right away if it did happen (though I could just write and play at the same time and just hope I remember). But now I'm afraid not to write a second one because a book might be thrown at me hahaha! For me, Levias and the Wind Fish (but the less chatty version of them) were the major reference point for the appearance and movement of the leviathans, but also I was thinking about the really long leviathan corpses in BOTW. I wasn't thinking of it being Levias specifically, but more of its kind. Cosmo14: I'm always here for fast reviews! Makes my day! But yeah, the pre-prequel is on hold for the same plot-issue. I only had a few chapters worth before I quit and moved to this fic first. I can think of so much post-game fluff but only a few plot-related things. I do have an idea notebook out though, so it still could happen! And thanks for the Jardon catch! I went back and fixed the spelling. The Leviathans were half Skyward and half BOTW, actually! Originally it was only one Leviathan like in Skyward, but then I was playing BOTW and there were three, so I figured why not add more! I'm glad it was easy to follow though AND glad you caught the throwback to the other chapter! I wanted to start this one right after, but since I've never done two chapters so close in time, it felt too out of place. I thought of a birthday scene actually, then realized I'd never even had them mention birthdays before, so it felt out of place to have just one. BUT if I do a post-game, I was thinking of putting one there and you've just seconded that plan sooo... hahah! But I decided not to go to age 18 either, so they're staying age 17 for the rest of this._


	17. Free

**Chapter 16 (Age 17)**

Link circled the town for the fiftieth time that day. He swung the training sword around when he was completely alone and started to hum the first song that came to mind.

Goddess, he was completely bored on patrol.

The only good thing about this mindless route was that he no longer needed to take his math class. Though… that class had Zelda in it.

When something crossed his vision, he rolled his eyes."Kukiel!" Link called at the young girl. "Away from the edge. How many more times do I have to warn you?"

The little troublemaker looked at him sweetly. "A few more!"

That was the most excitement he ever had. Admittedly, Kukiel was a bit of a handful every time he patrolled, but it wasn't just for him. She carefully moved away from the edge and ran in the other direction.

"Link?" Gaepora called.

Link stopped. A conversation was more excitement than he was used to.

Gaepora ushered a small brunette girl in front of him. "This is Avis. She'll be starting the Academy soon. She just came over from the outer islands."

Link nodded a hello. "I saw your arrival. Nice to meet you."

The young girl blushed and bit her lip nervously. "You too."

Link turned to Gaepora, who was watching with an amused smile. "Link is one of the best Knights we've ever trained here."

"I haven't graduated," Link reminded Gaepora, almost a gentle hint to get him off this boring route that was meant for a first-year graduated Knight.

Avis smiled. "If you're that good, then you'll take the Uncharted Sky routes? That's so cool! That's what I want to do too, someday!"

Gaepora put his hand on Link's shoulder. "He's chosen to do something closer to home. He wants to protect the village and keep it safe. Oddly, this is the route he'll likely patrol all next year after graduation, so he's getting used to the daily patrol early. Such gifts are granted to our most talented students."

Link smiled tightly. "I appreciate the honor. And truthfully, this route has allowed me nights off, so thank you."

Gaepora and Link stared at each other. Avis didn't know Link's history with Loftwings, and all subtleties were lost on her. Gaepora had seen Link train, and he wanted nothing more than to assign him to the Outer Sky upon graduation. Link could be one of the most successful Knights in Skyloft's history.

Avis shrugged. "I'd rather fly than have time off."

Link thought she was cute in a childish, hopeful sort of way. She clearly hadn't been thrown any curveballs she'd learn to dodge yet, and he hoped she'd never have to.

She looked at him with admiration and the glittering eyes of a childhood crush. This must have been how the upperclassmen thought of him and his friends when they'd first joined the Academy. Goddess, they must have been so annoying.

"Well," Link said, addressing the headmaster, "I have to go. Kukiel and I are playing a game of 'Ignore Link and Run Near the Edge.'"

That, the headmaster empathized with. "Oh, Kukiel... I'll stay around . Maybe she'll listen to me. Take the upper levels for a while. Avis, head back to the Academy. I'll come by later to sort out your classes."

"Okay," she waved with a small smile. "Bye Master Link!"

"Just Link!" he called as she ran away.

"You've grown quite a bit, _Master_ Link," Gaepora said with a chuckle. "I remember when you were her age, just starting."

Link looked around to see if Kukiel had snuck around while they'd been distracted. He didn't see any sign of her and tapped his sword against his boot absently. "Maybe _Master_ Eagus will get sick of his job."

Gaepora laughed. "I won't hire you unless you have at least three years of post-Academy work, but nice try."

"So close," Link laughed as he veered off and made his way towards the Goddess Statue. The way there was dull. There weren't even any children ignoring his safety orders.

But as he got closer, he heard a soft melody. Taking the steps much slower, he listened to the notes. They were soothing, like a lullaby… the song he'd been humming earlier. _What a coincidence_, he thought as he crept closer.

Someone was singing, soft and light, almost like a whisper. And it was a voice he knew well.

Sure to remain silent, he walked into the small courtyard in front of the statue and leaned against the nearest pillar to watch Zelda with an unabashedly enamored smile. No one else was here to see it.

Her eyes were closed as she played the lyre carefully. It was old and worn, made of wood and strings that looked like they could use changing, but the melody that she strummed was beautiful and wasn't the least bit affected by the poor condition of her instrument. She was sitting on the ground with her legs curled up next to her, her small shoes were kicked off to the side as she sang along to the tune of the lullaby.

He waited, watching her sway as she plucked at the notes until she finished and opened her eyes, a satisfied smile on her face. And then, she realized she was being watched.

"Link!" she gasped, standing quickly.

He held up his hand to stop her. "I was just out on patrol and I heard you. I thought you were shadowing Owlan and grading today?"

She sat back down as he crossed the yard to her and sat beside her. She tapped her instrument. "I finished, so he let me leave. I was just practicing."

"It was nice. You never play that or sing in front of me."

Her face turned pink as she absently plucked at some notes. "Well, you don't let me see you fight, so we're even."

"Don't make this about me," he laughed. "Even if you don't sing in front of anyone, you should at least play more. You know, I was actually just humming that song earlier today?"

"Really? It's so old."

"Weird, right?"

Link reached over and plucked one of the strings, curious about it.

"Here, try," she said, handing it over.

"I don't want to break it."

She kept her hand there until he took it. "You won't. And don't worry if you do. I've even broken it before."

"Okay," he muttered, trying to imitate how Zelda had held it. He tried the first few notes of the song, hearing absolutely nothing even remotely similar.

"Thank the Goddess," Zelda laughed. "If you'd been naturally good at this, I'd have hated you."

"Show me how to play the harp then, Instructor Zelda."

She grinned, liking the sound of that. "Well, first off, this is a lyre harp. The harp-harp is that huge one. Second, you're holding it wrong. Here." She moved his hand so his palm was off one of the strings that it had rested against. "Okay, now lower."

Link's heart was racing as she leaned entirely against him and moved his hands. If he so much as turned his head, he'd brush her lips… she was so close to him that it was hard to even focus.

"Okay, try now," she said, finally sitting back.

He tried the first few notes again, and it was just as tragic as before. Looking at her amused face, he casually moved his hands around the harp… lyre… as he spoke. "Well you can't expect me to be an expert the first time I pick this up."

"Your hands are wrong again. You won't even be able to brush the string."

He looked down, remembering where to hold, but he stopped himself and grinned, indulging himself a little. "They look fine to me."

"Here," she leaned over again and moved his wrist, her fingertips brushing over his skin in a trail of flames. Goddess, if only she knew.

He reached up and pushed the hair from his face, careful to avoid her in her closeness, and put his hand back in decidedly the wrong place.

He could feel her breathe out a sigh as she gave him a bland look. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," he laughed. This time, he dared to turn his head to look at her. His nose brushed her cheek and she jerked back with a surprised gasp before moving forward again, almost subconsciously.

As he stared at her, he realized his lips had gone completely dry. He licked them; they truly were _painfully_ dry. When he looked back up, her eyes were on his mouth… her normally blue eyes, entirely engulfed by the blacks of her pupils. He could feel her breath coming out faster, and his own heart was beating faster than a Loftwing's flight.

"Zelda…" he managed, though he felt himself leaning closer to her, like he wasn't in control of his own body.

A burst of wind hit them both at once, pushing them back, and Link grabbed Zelda faster than she could reach for him. He pulled her to her feet and they backed up a few steps.

Standing before them was a great blue-purple Loftwing. Its golden eyes shimmered in a ring of purple as it cawed out a loud cry before settling down, standing there, staring at the two.

Zelda took a step forward, reaching out. Something strong pulled her towards the bird, something that she would never be able to explain.

Link looked up, seeing another bird circling the Goddess Statue, though it made no attempt to change its course. It was far too high, and Link assumed it was a Knight who'd seen the Loftwing nosedive for Zelda.

Link kicked her shoes over to her. "Hey, get on!"

Zelda turned, still in shock. "A Loftwing? I'm not old enough. It shouldn't happen for another year."

She reached out for Link and pulled him beside her to admire the Loftwing.

He didn't hate being near them quite so much. In fact, he thought they were cute. He stroked its beak with a smile, and it nudged him in the face. Zelda chuckled as she slid on her shoes.

"What do you think?" she asked the bird. "Do we ride?"

The Loftwing crouched down, as if it understood, and Zelda hesitantly pulled herself up, gripping the feathers.

"I'll tell your father what happened."

Zelda started laughing as the Loftwing stood. "No matter what he asks, tell him I didn't do it on purpose!"

"I will. Go fly!"

Zelda's Loftwing took a few steps and flew straight upwards, and she screamed in pure excitement.

Link hurried from the Goddess Statue back to where Gaepora had been sitting. He was still there, and his back was turned. Link glanced up one more time before grabbing Gaepora in excitement.

"What is it?" Gaepora asked, both curious and nervous.

Link pointed up. "See that Loftwing?"

"Yes."

"That's your daughter's."

Gaepora froze. "My… that's…"

Link chuckled, giddy for Zelda. "It just happened at the Statue. Just… flew down and knew she was the one it would bond with."

"She's… so young! She could fall!" Gaepora froze again for an entirely different reason and turned to Link to apologize for his thoughtless comment.

Link swallowed and took a steadying breath. This was Zelda, not his mother. "She won't fall."

"No, she won't."

* * *

Link woke up to the same nightmare he'd been having for the past few nights since Zelda had gotten her Loftwing.

Darkness engulfing everything and everyone he loved. The clouds below pulling Zelda through them faster than he could even try to reach her.

Or maybe they'd only been happening since a few days later when he asked her one question she'd been longing to hear.

So it was no surprise when she tapped on his door moments later. He went to make sure it was her, and she stood in the dark hallway with her arms crossed, waiting patiently. He held up his finger, trying not to wake Pipit. And then he remembered… Pipit had moved out. He'd been living back home, though that didn't quite matter. He was out exploring the Sky, as was Karane.

Link threw on some warmer clothes and laced his boots up tightly before heading back into the hall. Zelda was in longer, tight sleeves that looked decently warm. Link wasn't sure if he'd gone overboard.

Zelda had to slow her walk to match Link's. He was barely moving, in fact. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it comfortingly, rubbing her thumb across his skin. It was distracting him, and he focused all his attention on the small place where his hand and hers met.

When they reached their spot by the waterfall, he stopped and ran his hand through his hair, turning around and walking back to the Academy.

Zelda chased him, stopping him quickly. "We're going to be fine. I swear to you, Link, I swear on my mother's spirit that I won't let anything happen to you."

"What am I thinking?"

She ran her hand behind his neck, bringing him down to her level, and pressed her lips to his cheek. She let her hand stay against his skin, though she could feel his racing pulse through the veins on his neck. "You have so much more courage than you know, Link. Come on."

She gently pulled him the rest of the way to their spot, and kept her hand in his as he looked at the beasts.

Eagus stepped forward and lightly clasped Link on the shoulder. "I'll be below you the whole time. I've cleared any Knights in the area, and they know I'm going out. You have nothing to worry about except yourself. Okay?"

Link nodded, though he couldn't find the words to speak.

Eagus stepped onto his Loftwing and took to the Sky, leaving Link and Zelda alone. She turned to him. "Ready?"

"No."

She smiled softly. "Are you going to do it anyway?"

"Just get on," he managed in a gruff voice.

Zelda didn't take it personally, and stepped onto her Loftwing, waiting. She had it sitting down so Link had to put little effort into getting on with her.

He breathed into clasped hands a few times before taking two steps.

"Listen," he said quickly, trying to distract himself. "Once you take off, I don't think I'll be able to let you breathe for a bit."

Zelda grinned. "I'll take a deep breath."

Link nodded once and steadied himself again. And he swung his leg over the back of the Loftwing.

Zelda turned to make sure he was on. "Hold on tight as you need to, Link. I'm going now so you don't second guess this."

"I already am second guessing this," he muttered, wrapping both arms around her waist. If it was any other circumstance, he'd have been thrilled to be able to hold her this close to him. In this case, he couldn't find the brainpower to even notice.

She could feel his mouth, nose, and forehead pressed into her shoulder, as if not watching it would help. When she felt his arms tightened around her waist in preparation, she let her Loftwing run off the edge.

The Loftwing plummeted hard and fast right away, letting Link feel the rush of his chest hitting his stomach before she evened out the flight for a moment. Her Loftwing rose up higher. She wanted him to feel everything quickly so he'd be used to it.

And he hadn't been lying. She couldn't breathe if she tried.

Finally soaring straight and steady, she tapped Link's hands. He loosened his grip and she took a deep breath, turning to see if she could see him. His chin was resting on her shoulder.

"How was that?" she asked.

She could feel his mouth tip up, a small chuckle rumbling through him. She could feel every twitch of his body, and even his racing heart against her back. From the way he let his face feel the breeze, and the fact that he wasn't already asking her to return, she had a suspicion that he wasn't hating this flight at all.

"Can you do that again?" he asked, his voice dead-serious.

"Of course."

"A longer drop?"

She could almost sense where his brain was. He needed to know what falling felt like.

"Sure. Up first though."

His hold on her loosened and he looked to his right. Another Loftwing had joined them, one with no rider.

"Is this normal?" he asked, tapping Zelda to get her attention as she ascended.

"What?" She turned, but as she did, the Loftwing swung to her other side, something very near a laugh on the bird's beak.

Link watched the crimson Loftwing dive under them, moving out of sight again.

"Nevermind," he muttered.

"Are you ready?" she called, turning to him.

He nodded and grabbed on tightly again as Zelda turned their trajectory into a nosedive.

For the first second or two, Zelda couldn't breathe again, and it wasn't to do with the rushing wind. Link's grip on her was crushing. But as she continued down towards the cloudline, she felt one of his hands let go of her.

In a panic, she all but spun off the Loftwing, pulling the bird back to a normal position, only to see Link with one arm out to the air, letting the wind beat against his arm and open palm. She breathed a sigh of relief and urged her bird down again, and this time, she heard Link's excited cry behind her. He let out a long 'whoop' for as long as she could continue their path.

When she reared back up, Link's arms went around her again to keep steady, though this time, they didn't hold the tension that they had been.

"Are you doing okay?" Zelda called behind her. She could just barely see him nod; he was sitting further back now, more comfortable. "Let's try something normal!"

She moved her Loftwing so it was just flying at a normal speed beside Skyloft, the average flying speed. When she was sure Link had gotten the feel for it, she leaned her head back against him, playfully tilting her head backwards so she could see him. "How about now? Still good?"

He laughed briefly as he looked down at her. She felt a shiver run through her that had her tensing up against him when he absently began tapping his fingers on her waist, truly thinking about that answer.

Finally, he let out a breath. "I don't know."

"I can understand that," she said easily. "Link, do you want to try?"

His eyes widened, though it was a mix of nerves and excitement. "It's your Loftwing."

"You can still fly. I'll trade places with you."

"I've never taken a flying lesson."

"I'm going to be an instructor someday soon. Call me your new teacher!"

Link nodded hesitantly, and Zelda landed on a small rock, one that was just big enough for them to trade places, but little else.

When Zelda slid off so he could scoot forward, Eagus came up beside them. When he saw Link moving to take the lead, he hesitated, wanting to stop him… but... if he was anyone else, he would have. Zelda climbed back up behind Link this time and wrapped her arms around him, looking to Eagus for approval of their new plan first.

Begrudgingly, he gave it, but with a warning that he'd be flying a bit closer now.

Link couldn't even hear their conversation as he sat on a Loftwing, for the first time since that night he'd ridden to the Lumpy Pumpkin and back. It was him with only the head of a Loftwing in front of him.

"Okay, hold here and here," Zelda said, pointing.

"How do I- _whoa_!" he grunted as the Loftwing took off. Zelda hung on tight, already jerking off to the side with the inexperienced flyer. It took him some time to get his bearings, but he was quickly flying straight and steady. He dared to dip lower a few times, but he quickly righted himself, not trusting his skill.

"There," he said, gesturing for Zelda to follow his gaze into the Sky. It was that crimson bird again.

"Oh! That Loftwing flies with me sometimes. I think my Loftwing is it's friend or partner. They're usually close to each other."

"I've never seen another red one before."

"Neither have I. I just assumed it's because I haven't been on my own for long."

"Maybe," Link muttered, daring to fly lower, to where Eagus was.

"Nice flying for your first time out, Link!" Eagus called.

Link nodded his thanks. "I know this is something you'll say no to but… I need to jump."

"What?"

"I have to freefall. I don't expect you to understand, but I need to do it."

Eagus was shaking his head. "I can't allow that, especially at night."

"You said you'd stop anything from happening to me. I need this, and I'm doing it whether you let me or not. I'll take the punishment for ignoring your warning."

"Don't act like an idiot, Link. You don't tell me what to do. But this isn't happening because you think you're a tough guy telling me off; it's happening because I know you need it. And I swear, you have a ten second fall before one of us will grab you and drag you right back home."

Link took that as his moment and soared upwards to get some height before even thinking about jumping.

"Okay," Zelda said, holding him tightly so he wouldn't jump before she spoke. "Arms out like a bird so you can have some control while you're falling."

"I definitely won't have control."

He winced as Zelda slapped him hard in the back. "This is serious! There's a reason that people don't freefall in the middle of your first flying lesson."

"I'm sorry. Arms out. Got it."

She let go of him and he took a deep breath, shook his head, and flung himself off the Loftwing.

Zelda hurried to scoot forward and urged her Loftwing to match the speed of his fall beside him. He was shooting forward without his arms out, and she knew it was on purpose. She watched him with a racing heart. He finally spread his arms out and fell naturally, though he started to move all over the Sky.

Ten seconds.

She could see Eagus below them, and she decided she'd give it a shot before Eagus. She held out her hand to Link.

He turned and shifted so his body drifted to the right where he was able to catch hold of her arm. Their grip on each other was firm and they stayed locked like that while Zelda maneuvered her Loftwing directly under Link. At once, they both tugged on each other, bringing Link back against the bird as Zelda bounced up to catch him easier. His arms went around her again as he settled into place.

Below even Eagus, Link noticed the crimson Loftwing, as if it was waiting to be a safety net below the other two.

Zelda landed on Skyloft on the platform just beside their usual spot near the waterfall, still without another word to Link. They hopped off, and she gave her bird an affectionate stroke on its beak before it flew off. She turned her attention to Link.

He was still breathing heavily, hands against his knees. She moved in front of him, and his eyes locked on hers with an intensity she hadn't seen before. She didn't know what it meant, but she crossed the gap and wrapped her arms around him, letting him lean heavily on her.

She saw Eagus check on them before flying off, content in their safety. He knew Link didn't need _him_ in that moment.

"Link?" Zelda finally asked after a long moment. When she pulled away to see him, she noticed his eyes had gone red. "Do you need a minute?" she asked gently.

He ran his hands along his face and sniffed, trying to stop the tears from spilling from his eyes.

"She died like that. What I just did… that's what my mother felt as she died. That wind, that rush. But she wasn't feeling it the same way I was. I loved every second of it. I want to go back out there and fly right now. But..." He paused and bit his lip so hard Zelda could see a small smear of red.

"Link," she tried.

But this time, his voice broke and he had to lean against a tree for support. "I loved it, Zelda. How can I love doing something that killed my mother? What kind of sick person am I? I needed to know what she felt, but all I felt was _alive_. She's dead and it's sick and twisted. And if I ever get on another Loftwing, I'm betraying her even more than I did today. I'm… disgusting."

"Stop…"

"And you know something? That was the easiest thing I've done in such a long time. I know I wasn't doing tricks, but it felt like I was born to ride a Loftwing. How can I say that, knowing what happens if you make a single mistake?"

"Please, Link…" she tried again.

"I went into this today wanting to hate it. I was ready to hate it, to say I tried and that I never wanted to go back. But you know what I realized while we were up there? I wasn't afraid of Loftwings. I was afraid to love flying. I _loved _doing the thing that _killed _her, Zel."

He held his breath, but it was no use and he swung his fist into the tree, feeling the relief of the burning sting that coursed up his arm.

"Stop that!" Zelda said, moving between him and the tree.

This time, he collapsed to the ground, holding the back of his head in his hands as he brought up his knees.

Zelda knelt beside him and grabbed his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "Don't ever insult my best friend in front of me," she said, echoing her own words in the past. "You have mourned your mother, you've honored her, and now you've been able to feel some part of her that you've never known. Yes, it was horrible. She would have been thinking of you, and what would happen to you if she was gone. And I can tell you that this self-torture thing you've been doing is not something she would want for someone she loved. She would never want you to hate something out of loyalty to a memory. She was a Knight, Link. You're almost a Knight. That's the memory she'd want you to keep close. She was smiling with the Goddess when you were flying _because _you loved it."

"What makes you an expert? You don't know."

"I know because I love you." She took a brief pause as the words sank into her brain. But no matter how true they felt, she couldn't let them sit. Not today. Today was not about her or her feelings. She had to make sure he didn't think she wasn't implying romantic love, no matter how she meant it."You're my best friend and I love you because of it, Link. I always have and you know that. So, I know what it feels like to see someone you love be happy and to be miserable and I am done watching you do that. The things you always thought made you weird, I don't care about them. I don't care if you ever step foot on a Loftwing again. I don't care if you can never leave Skyloft. I only care that _you _do. So guess what? You're _going _to be happy, Link. And you're going to stop punishing yourself."

Link pulled out of her hand and leaned back in the grass, gesturing to the spot beside him. She took it and curled up against him, resting on his arm. It took her a moment to realize that she would never lie in the grass like this with Pipit. Karane would never look at her the way Link was looking at her. Fledge would never run his fingers through her hair just because he could, the way Link was. And if any of them ever did, she'd feel uncomfortable. But with Link, it just made her feel an assault of butterflies in her stomach that tried to make it's way through her chest.

"You know," he started, back to his usual smirking, easy expression. "I _meant_ how are you an expert in the Goddess. Not about love." He watched her roll her eyes to hide the creeping pink that was visible even in the moonlight.

He waited for her to look back at him. This was something he needed her to really hear. There was something he had to admit. "You saved me. Every day, you saved me. When I was a kid, before I had you in my life, I wanted to fall off the edge. I had nothing left. But when I met you, you gave me a reason to hang on and then you pulled me up. So thank you."

Link heard his own words and chuckled to himself. "I knew there was something bizarrely romantic about flying lessons." He gestured between them at their position. "We're on another date, aren't we?"

"No," she said quickly and defensively. But then she stopped and thought about it. About how she didn't want to get up. About the look in his eyes. About the feeling in her chest. "I don't know," she admitted. "Are we?"

"I don't know. Is that...do you want us to be?" he asked, completely serious for possibly the first time in years.

His question had her reeling, unsure of anything anymore. "I… I… think I do. But is that what you want?"

He was pretty sure he was going to die, his heart was beating so fast. His head was nodding before he could even double check with his brain. "Yeah," he breathed out.

Zelda let out a small laugh. "I don't know what to do now."

Link's smile returned. "Me either." He had to sit up to escape his spinning head. "How about we try this again tomorrow except we both know what it is from the very beginning?"

Zelda stood up, brushing herself off nervously. "I can get behind that plan."

Link stepped to her side and pressed his lips on her cheek, as she'd done to him. Only this meant something much more to both of them now.

"That was for the ride," he said, his lips brushing her skin as he spoke. He pulled away with a sly smile… almost a promise of something more.

* * *

_A/N: The lyre/harp thing, I have no idea if it's actually true. Just a disclaimer based on my Google searches. But that's probably not what you care about at this point! My name is Fluff and I was called in for this chapter. Good to see you all again! I totally gave up on trying to avoid the word date. That worked for one chapter and then never again. But whatever, I'm rambling. _

_Also, I actually just wrote the last chapter of this fic right before posting this chapter (since some muse of inspiration kept me writing a new chapter every night like a monster). Just so you know how much is left of this, it's ending on a brief epilogue (which I always do), and it's 22 total chapters using the fanfiction counting system/20 chapters + epilogue if you use my system (AKA 5 chapters left). So that's where/when you can expect this one to end. I'll stick to the Sun/Tue/Thurs posts I've been doing unless something comes up, then it'll just be a day off. I'm still going to bother everyone with my all-too-long A/N section because I write these during my last-minute editing, so you can't get rid of me that easily!_

_Anywho, with that said, I've also started to come up with some post-game sequel ideas that I'll be trying out soon. So if you were wondering... it's looking like that might be a decent possibility right now. *does an awkward happy dance*_


	18. Inevitable

**Chapter 17 (Age 17)**

Their date didn't happen that night.

Link felt the wind rush through his hair as he rode beside Pipit and Karane. Already, little more than a week after he'd first flown with Zelda, he was mastering the art of flying, as if something about him had done it before. He was practically kneeling on his Loftwing, arms out as he felt the fabric of his sleeves whip around wildly. He was glad he wasn't wearing a hat like Pipit and Karane were. He wasn't sure how they kept their uniform hats on.

* * *

_Link couldn't stop his racing heart after he'd gotten back from their late-night flying lesson. It took him forever to finally manage to fall asleep. So where there was a light knock on his door, he didn't quite wake up immediately. It took hearing Zelda's voice to pry his tired eyes open. "Hey," she said, opening the door. _

_Link sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. With a quick glance out his window, and still seeing the night sky with only the barest hint of light, he felt a quick surge of panic._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_Nothing. Nothing bad, anyway. But I needed to talk to you."_

_Link snorted. "It can't wait a few hours?" He double checked the window. Nope, still dark._

_Zelda sat at the foot of Link's bed. "Instructor Owlan woke me this morning. He's going to one of the outer islands. One of their pre-Academy instructors is really sick. So… he wanted me to come with him. He was going to treat the instructor's illness, and I'd take over his class until he's better."_

_Link beamed through his grogginess. "Your first teaching gig?"_

_She tried to hide her giddy excitement, but she couldn't contain it. "I had to come tell you. We're leaving this morning in about an hour, which is definitely before you'll get up, and he's thinking we'll be there for maybe a week."_

"_You'll do fine. You were teaching me that stuff before we even got into the Academy."_

_She nodded, strangely confident in her abilities. "I know. I had to tell you so you wouldn't just wake up and find me gone. Fair warning, if you did that to me, I'd kill you. But we'll... have to postpone something that was meant to happen later today."_

_Link nodded, his tired brain finally catching up. "I get it. This is a great opportunity. I'm proud for you, Zel. And about postponing, do you want me to give you the serious response, or the cheesy one?"_

_She stood and crossed her arms with a challenging grin. "Give me the best piece of cheese you can manage, sleepyhead."_

_He cleared his throat. "I'd wait a thousand lifetimes to be with you, Princess."_

_She laughed and shook her head. "Very nice. Go back to bed, Link. Dream of a better line; try one that doesn't involve me dying a thousand times to be romantic."_

"_Get out of my room if you're going to insult me!" he laughed, throwing his head back. "You're going to kill it over there. They'll come off that island as genuises. You don't even need me to wish you luck."_

_With a fond smile, Zelda leaned against the doorframe and watched his eyes almost immediately shut._ "_Wings crossed," she muttered to herself, closing the door._

* * *

Pipit rode close to Link, hitting him with his own Loftwing's air from it's strong wings. Karane swooped down dangerously close to Pipit, but that was only because she knew he'd move in time.

* * *

_It hadn't even been a day since Zelda had been gone, and Link was already bored and lonely. He had Fledge, but Fledge had been picking up extra tasks around the Academy that kept him busy. While Link helped him with some of them, he'd gone to the Sparring Hall for the rest of the day and then picked up an extra patrol for the next morning. _

_Eagus was writing notes in a booklet, and let Link hack at a few training logs before getting around to the burning question in his mind. "So… you flew last night."_

_Link grinned, but he didn't stop hitting the log. "I flew."_

"_Should I sign you up for a practice Loftwing today?"_

_Link shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. Zelda had been right. His mother would have wanted this feeling for him. _

_Eagus beamed. "Should I change your future assignment to the Outer Sky, or is that too soon?"_

_Still without a word, Link put down the sword and grinned. Eagus was satisfied with that answer. _

_Walking over to the Goddess Statue for a bit of head-clearing, Link took the steps two at a time, like there was some need to get there quickly. And when he arrived, he knew what it had been. _

_The Crimson Loftwing was standing there, waiting for him. _

"_You again?" Link asked, moving closer. "I thought you'd go with Zelda."_

_The bird cawed in Link's face, making him flinch. _

"_Okay, okay."_

_The Loftwing nudged Link's face, moving closer and closer, forcing Link to stumble backwards out of the way. And when Link was cornered, the Loftwing sat down triumphantly, waiting for Link to get on. _

_Link looked behind him through the arch that led down to the rest of Skyloft. "You know how much of a fuss this would cause? They'll corner me like riding off is a crime."_

_The Loftwing whacked Link's leg with its beak. _

"_Ow! Fine," Link conceded, hopping onto the bird with an ease he hadn't expected before taking off into the Sky._

* * *

After a week straight of flying almost every hour of the day, Link had no problem barrel rolling his Loftwing into Karane's. She scoffed at him and flew higher before plunging below the two of them, only to rise up with a brutal gust of wind that had both Link and Pipit ducking for cover.

* * *

_If Pipit hadn't ridden in closer to see who was riding the rare Crimson Loftwing, he would never have believed that Link was the rider without seeing it for himself. _

_Pipit's first long solo-tour had ended. He'd told his mother he'd be back three days later so he could surprise her. But seeing Link on a Loftwing… alone… enjoying himself… he forgot all about his plans and flew over. _

"_Hey! What in the Goddess's name is happening right now?"_

"_Pip!" Link shouted, veering off to the nearest landing platform. He waited for Pipit to get off his bird before grabbing him excitedly, dying to hear every moment of his first solo patrol. "How was it?"_

"_No way am I answering that until you answer this," Pipit said, though he was eager to jump into his story. There was one story he wanted to hear more. "You're on a Loftwing?"_

_Link grinned. "It's actually not just __a __Loftwing, it's __my_ _Loftwing."_

"_You're kidding! How did you learn? When did you even get on?"_

"_I had… private lessons a few days ago."_

"_So Zelda took you flying."_

_Link scoffed but didn't bother to deny that, "Fine. Yes."_

"_Where is she? I know someone else who's coming back today who will want to see her. And where's Fledge?"_

"_Fledge went to visit his family, and Zelda's on her own mission, actually," he said before they both eagerly jumped into their stories._

* * *

Link flipped his Loftwing, making a hard reversal to avoid Karane a second time. He had to hold on tightly to the leather belt on his Loftwing to keep from falling. Karane rode side-by-side with Pipit, and Link gritted his teeth, needing to make up some lost ground.

He pushed hard and ducked right into his Loftwing's feathers as he split straight between Karane and Pipit's birds through the narrowest space between their wings.

And he passed the finish rock just before the other two.

"Woo!" he called, falling backwards off his Loftwing.

He wasn't worried. The Loftwing squacked excitedly and dove, catching him almost immediately as Pipit and Karane passed him. Something about this bird was far more familiar than it should have been. He'd felt like it knew him on a much deeper level than the usual connection between a Loftwing and its rider. It felt like they'd known each other for a whole lifetime.

"Are you showing off for me?" a voice called.

Link's Loftwing noticed who it was first. It flapped its wings happily and let out an excited cry before rushing upwards.

Link fought back a huge smile when he could see Zelda, though the sun obscured most of her face and his Loftwing's excitement at seeing its own friend after so long had him sliding across its back.

"Hang on," Zelda called, flying just above Link and pulling her feet over, prepared to jump to his Loftwing. "Yeah?"

"Sure," he called, holding out a hand and readying his Loftwing for a sudden jolt.

She jumped and caught Link's hand just before she landed on the Crimson Loftwing, holding on to Link's shoulders as she settled in behind him. "This is your Loftwing now?" she asked, ruffling some of the feathers affectionately.

"Came back the first day you left and practically assaulted me until I got on."

Zelda whacked his arm for good measure. "Good! Someone has to keep you in line." Her arms were light around him, hesitant even. It had been a week, after all. "Wait, is that Karane?"

"And Pipit."

She tapped Link's arm excitedly. "Fly! Fly!"

He curved them down toward Skyloft while Karane and Pipit followed.

"Karane!" Zelda yelled, running for her other best friend and being scooped into a hug.

Link could hear them chattering over each other, unsure how they could even follow the conversation. Pipit adjusted his yellow tunic and hat.

"Hey," Link asked, "How do you keep that thing on?"

Pipit grinned. "Magic."

"Ha."

Zelda came running over and grabbed Pipit as well.

Link leaned forward and flicked her hair with a single finger. "You did it. I like it."

She pulled away from Pipit and ran her hair through her new straight-bangs. "I had a brave moment before my first class and I just cut them off. It was so ugly, I had to get someone to help me fix them."

"Zelda!" came another voice from further up the hill.

"Oh Goddess, guess I'm back," she muttered as Groose came plowing towards her. He stopped to give everyone else a dirty look before turning to her. "You look beautiful, Zelda! You look like a true instructor. I'll bet they learned so much!"

Zelda bit her lip to try not to laugh and turned to Link for help getting out of this conversation. He just watched with an amused expression.

"Thanks Groose. I hope they did."

"Want to go celebrate with some food tonight? Just you and me. And Cawlin. And Stritch. But I'll kick them out so it can just be us."

Zelda shook her head, still biting back her laugh. "No, I think I'll pass, Groose."

But Groose wasn't done.

"Why not? I'll bet it's because you're going to go eat with _Smink_ though."

_Well, there's my cue_. Link casually walked between Zelda and Groose. "Yeah. Haven't you heard?" His tone turned mocking. No one would believe a word that he said, no matter what it was. "Zelda and I are together now, and one day, we're going to get married and wreak havoc on Skyloft like two angry Remlits. Maybe we'll invite you to the ceremony. The plan is to give you a stroke first, then her father. How's that going so far?"

"Link!" Zelda scolded, hitting his arm and rolling her eyes. Not only did her face heat up at his words, but she knew provoking Groose usually led to a fight. Provoking Groose and using Zelda as the bait? Now it would be impossible for him to resist the fight. And she was right.

Groose swung out with his large fist faster than anyone could blink. But this time, Link moved his head off to the side, pushing Groose far away from the others before quickly bringing some space between them, trying to avoid the fight if he could.

Groose came at him, prepared to grab Link, but Link ducked under his arms, and Groose's momentum sent him stumbling into Pipit.

Link had his hands in his pockets. Though it looked like a taunting, overconfident move, it truly was the only thing Link could think of to not fight back. Not this time. One day, he'd manage to brush Groose off without a second glance, but that wasn't today. Today took willpower and a little thing called pockets.

"You think you're all that?" Groose taunted, taking Pipit's sword from its sheath in a swift motion.

"Groose!" Zelda called, trying to move between them. "That's not a training sword!"

Karane caught Zelda and pushed her towards Pipit before taking out her own sword. "Put it down, Groose. Don't get in trouble over something this stupid."

Link had his hands out defensively, watching Groose carefully. The way he stood, the way he moved…

"Let him have one good shot, Karane. Trust me."

Karane hesitated as she looked at Link, but she knew that he was a better fighter than her and Pipit, and she took a step back, still ready to move if need be.

Groose burst out laughing as the sword in his hand wobbled in time with his raucous guffawing. "You still think you're the best? I'm a great fighter! You'll regret insulting me!"

He reared back for a heavy swing. Link didn't believe Groose would actually cleave him in two if it came to it. He figured Groose would move it just to the side and try to scare him. Losing a toe might be an unfortunate misstep if Groose missed, but not his intention. Link didn't want to give that scenario even a remote possibility of failing.

As the sword came down, Link moved into Groose, his shoulder creating a barrier between the two before catching Groose's wrist and twisting under his arm. Groose's fingers loosened from the angle and the sword was in Link's hand in an instant. He spun it around, holding it back out to Pipit.

The four of them stared at Link in surprise.

"Wha-" Groose muttered, barely realizing the sword was gone. Link had moved so fast.

"When did you learn that?" Pipit asked, taking the sword back.

Link shrugged. "I don't keep track." He turned to Groose. "Sad thing is, you _could _be good."

"I don't want your opinion, loser!"

"Okay," Link said, moving back, happy to oblige a moment of silence.

Groose looked between Link and Zelda. "I am good! And when it comes to our Knight ceremonies, you'd better watch out!"

"Looking forward to it," Link said coolly, more surprised than anything when Groose simply backed away.

Zelda grabbed Karane, while Pipit clapped Link on the back. "You won a fight against Groose!" Pipit laughed. "I didn't think it would ever happen!"

"Impressive, Link," Karane said.

But Zelda stepped forward, her arms crossed. "Why do you still indulge him? Were you just showing off? You could get hurt."

Link made a face. "That's nothing new." His eyes narrowed and he took the smallest step into Zelda's space. "Hrm, twice now. Would you like if I was showing off?"

To a passer by, it sounded like a normal, joking conversation, but Karane and Pipit's eyebrows raised at once at the blatant change in Link's voice… his obvious flirting.

"Did… did we miss something while we were gone?" Pipit asked.

"N-no," Zelda said, turning her head away from Link's gaze. "No, he's just being a jerk."

Karane didn't buy it for a second, but she could see Zelda's discomfort at being questioned and quickly changed the subject. "Hey, come tell us everything that happened this week on the island."

Relieved at the topic change, Zelda grabbed Karane and Link, wrapping her arms through theirs. "No, you tell me everything! You've both been gone longer! And you," she said to Link with narrowed eyes, "have changed since I left."

Zelda let Karane go to walk ahead while she held Link back and pulled him into a close hug. "I missed you, Link. I think this is the longest all of us have ever been apart." And when she pulled away, she lowered her voice so Karane or Pipit couldn't hear. "And I think there's something we postponed that I was _kind of_ looking forward to… can't remember what it was though."

Link grinned. Goddess, everything she said made him smile, no matter what it was. "I don't know." He glanced around. Pipit and Karane were up walking away, and no one was around. He leaned closer to Zelda and ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek, his eyes flickering from hers to her lips. "Maybe we can get something to eat at Piper's and try to remember whatever it was?"

Zelda realized she'd stopped breathing for a moment when she felt the tight hold of air in her lungs. When she managed to speak, it was a low whisper. "They're going to turn around to look for us, and then see this, Link."

He dropped his hand but didn't move away. The look on his face said that he didn't really care who was looking at them. "They probably already have. They're nosey."

Zelda stepped away, feeling the relief of breathing air that wasn't overwhelmingly Link- his breath, his scent… _he _made it hard to breathe.

"Piper's later, then," she promised. "But we have to figure out who's buying this time."

"Maybe this time we'll just split the bill."

* * *

As it turned out, neither of them needed to buy because Pipit had insisted they all go to eat together, his treat, to catch up. Without wanting to arouse suspicions, they agreed and everyone brought Piper's food out to eat just outside the Bazaar. And it wasn't for an hour later that Zelda managed to convince Karane to leave and take Pipit with her. She was almost sure Karane had figured out why, though Pipit seemed more oblivious in the long run.

Zelda led Link around the back of the Bazaar and down to their usual spot. It was always private and secluded. Almost no one else came down except to tend the pumpkin patch in the early morning. They stood around in silence before Zelda found herself giggling with giddy nerves.

"I don't know what to do. Or what to say. This is so strange."

Link had his hands in his pockets, watching her. "Yeah. I feel like we're supposed to talk about our favorite colors or something. You know, get to know one another."

Zelda jumped up onto the rock over the water and began to walk along the edge. "Yours is green. Next."

"I don't know what to do. What did you do with Corbett?"

"Talked. Flew. Left. You and Robyn?"

Link shrugged. "I didn't know her well, so we asked stupid questions... like favorite color. This is useless."

"Data collection failed," Zelda laughed as she spun around to walk the other way.

"Swim?" Link tried, looking around for ideas.

Zelda stopped to give him an exasperated look. "It's freezing at this time. Feel the water. You don't want to swim."

He obliged and flinched back when he felt how cold it was. "Right." He sat on the rock she was balancing on and stared up at her, feeling so incredibly nervous and unsure of himself. When he caught her eye, he had to look away, afraid she'd see just how desperately unsure he was. He could still feel her staring at him as they both tried to figure this new territory out.

"Whoa!" Zelda yelped, falling backwards.

Link was up and caught her before she could hit the water, carrying her away from the rocks. He looked at her suspiciously. She was too happy.

"You did that on purpose."

Zelda wrapped her arms around Link's neck with a victorious smile. "Of course I did."

He grinned and shifted her in his arms so he had a better grip. "Oh? I don't know if you remember this, but I'm actually just a bit stronger than you."

"And?"

He wriggled his eyebrows and headed back to the water with a mischievous look on his face.

"No!" Zelda cried, laughing at the same time when she realized what he was doing. She gripped Link's neck tighter as he neared the water.

"After that stunt, you're at my mercy, _Princess_." He stepped up onto the stone and held her in both arms over the freezing water.

"_That_ still is not a real word," she laughed, regretting her remark almost immediately when Link let go of her legs, though he kept a tight grip around her waist with his other arm. He let her swing tauntingly over the water. "Whoa!" she squeaked, nearly choking him.

"Going to make fun of my made up word again?" he asked casually. Though he only had her with one arm, his grip on her was so firm that he wasn't remotely worried about her accidentally slipping into the cold water.

Zelda squirmed to try to get a foothold, but Link was smugly holding her too high above the water for her to reach the rock with her foot. "Yeah, I probably will, actually."

"That's fair, I guess." He swung her over a bit so he could hold her around the waist with both arms rather than one. It was just indulgence on his part, and Zelda knew it.

"Going to let me down yet?" she asked with a laugh. She was finally feeling herself again, nervousness completely washed away by their antics. She could see that her pretending to fall had worked on Link, and he was feeling confident again, his lazy grin and shimmering eyes replacing the anxious expression he'd worn when they first came around the bend.

"Probably not. This is kind of fun."

She felt a few of her muscles spasm when Link's fingers gripped her tighter. Well, if he could indulge in holding her for absolutely no good reason, she could have some fun herself as well. She loosened her near vise grip around him and slid her hands down to rest against his chest. She could feel him shiver when her nails passed lightly over the skin of his neck.

Zelda watched him devilishly and smiled. "Don't be so confident, Link. I can get down. I still have a trick up my sleeve."

"Oh?" he asked, eyebrow raising. He'd like to see her get out of this.

She watched his eyes shimmer in the reflection of the setting sun that bounced off the water. They were intense, but soft at the same time. She wondered how he managed that. His hold on her was still solid, and she didn't worry that he'd let her fall into the water as she squirmed lower in his arms.

And she pressed her lips to his.

Shocked, Link took an immediate step back away from the edge, bringing Zelda with him. His brain had entirely shut off, and finally his body reacted, kissing her back rather than freezing up in his surprise. When his subconscious mind knew she wasn't dangling over the water anymore, his arms loosened his grip to let Zelda touch the ground, though he never moved his head away from her.

Well, that trick up her sleeve worked.

They pulled apart only far enough apart to breathe, both opening their eyes to meet the other.

Zelda's eyes were glinting with absolute elation and even humor as she stared at this still shocked ones, wide and unseeing, catching up to everything in front of him.

He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.

Zelda breathed heavily, her mouth open, stunned that she'd actually found the courage to do that.

"I need to get off this rock, Link," she finally managed, feeling more than lightheaded and unsafe on the small rock. Her legs felt like they could give out any second, despite still being pressed up against Link. He nodded and let go completely. She barely made the small gap between the rock and the grass without stumbling. Link followed, nearly crashing into her in his utterly dazed state.

But he regained his bearings after a few steps and caught her wrist, gently tugging her back toward him when they weren't perilously close to the water.

He hesitated only long enough for her to pull away, to somehow say that she'd accidentally fallen onto his lips before and he'd misread everything. When that didn't happen and she instead leaned closer to him, he captured her lips in his, feeling years of anxiety about this moment crashing to the ground, forgotten as he entirely lost himself in the feeling of _her._

He could feel her shaking, and he was more than positive that he was, too. It was surreal in so many ways: when her hand ran through his hair, when her fingers lightly brushed his earlobes as they trailed down his throat to rest on his chest. His body lit up like it was on fire, despite the chills that every touch sent through him.

Finally, everything connected in his brain. As he felt his lips move against hers, needing her like air, there was no world around them: no water, no grass, no trees, no village or villagers. This moment with her was all-consuming. It was the rush of soaring on a Loftwing, or the fear and excitement while falling through the Sky. It was the debilitating nerves of staring out at an audience for the first time, and the joy of seeing someone in the back row, cheering louder than any other voice in the room.

Zelda was the one to pull away, smiling as she felt Link's lips chase hers for one more kiss before he moved back slightly, his hand still where it had found purchase on the back of her neck.

"I made you put me down," she said breathlessly, unsure of anything else she could possibly say in that moment.

He laughed, though in his breathlessness, it was little more than just air. His fingers traced the skin on the back of her neck absently, and she arched forward as a shiver raced down her spine. Well, something he'd never known about her.

"Did that just happen? Are we in a dream?" he asked with a laugh, only half joking.

"Why? Do you dream about kissing me often?" she teased in a tone that felt so familiar to her, though the meaning behind the words was so foreign. If she'd said this to him a week ago, he'd have rolled his eyes and probably bumped into her as a non-response. She'd be left to interpret it however she wanted and then they'd move on.

But he didn't bump her. And he didn't bother leaving her to imagine the answer... not when it was obvious.

"More often than you know," he said, kissing her again. It was addicting, and they were both happy to indulge.

"I think I might have some idea," she said, responding to him with a mildly embarrassed giggle. Goddess, if he wasn't the only thing she dreamt about these days...

He grinned cheekily and looked around, realizing that they were standing in plain view of any passers by. He pulled her with him as he walked backwards and leaned against the wall. Zelda threaded her fingers through both his hands and leaned into him. Link chuckled, still feeling like nothing was real. Like there was no way this could possibly be happening. Testing that theory, he kissed her again.

Zelda found herself laughing, and Link was quick to join in. She needed to pull away when her teeth banged against his, which only made them laugh harder.

"I feel like we should have been doing this for the past few years..." Link muttered, feeling light for the first time in years. It was like he'd been carrying some weight that he was finally able to cast off.

Zelda looked at him with a teasing glint in her eye. "Years? What makes you think I liked you that long ago?"

Link made a face, crossing his arms as he got comfortable against the wall. "You _literally_ asked me to be your first kiss, remember?"

"Because you were the person I trusted most."

"Okay," Link laughed, watching her move beside him with a defensive set to her mouth. "I won't assume years then."

Zelda rolled her eyes and nudged his arm with hers. "I didn't say you were _wrong._"

Grinning more than he thought he could, he put his arm around her like nothing between them had changed, like this conversation was happening with different words. It was always an instinct- to hold her close. Now, Link just knew why.

He looked over at her, wishing time didn't have to move. But Skyloft was getting cold with the approaching night chill, and they'd have to end this long stretch of a moment at some point. "Where do we go from here? Do we pretend this never happened and try to go back to a week ago? Or do we... I don't know... give this thing with us a try?"

Zelda let out a harsh sigh. "I know what I _want_ to do, but my father can't find out. He'll have us followed everywhere. If we want to have something to eat at Piper's for a normal breakfast, he'll be there to make sure we don't hold hands. I don't know, it's like he can't stand that I'm growing up. He's not ready. I'm not like his students where he feels pride when they graduate. I'm the only person that he'd rather hold back. We can't let anyone know about us. Maybe Karane and Pipit, but even they might slip and tell someone. Definitely not Fledge. He can't know. He'll crack if someone were to ask him. And then my father would find out, and then I'll lose you because he'll stop us from ever speaking again, even as friends."

"Well, you won't lose me, and it won't be that bad," Link said, trying to cheer her up. He had a feeling that she was fairly close, though.

When Gaepora had even suspected that Zelda might have been seeing Corbett, he tried to get Link to be the one to spy on her. Because there was 'no one he trusted more.' How about what Gaepora would say if he found out she was seeing Link? He wouldn't call him 'trustworthy' after that.

"We're already close. He won't even notice if we keep it from him," she said, ignoring Link's comment.

Link bit his lip nervously. "I don't know what I'd say, but do you want me to try talking to him? We can't sneak around Skyloft forever. Maybe we can wait to tell him until we're in our fifties, but that might be pushing it."

Zelda looked over at him, bemused. "You _want _to talk to him?"

"Absolutely not. Your father scares me, but I will try something if you want. He doesn't hate me yet, so I have the element of surprise."

Zelda laughed. "Thank you, but it should be me."

Link snorted. "Really, it should be both of us."

She turned to him, horrified at the thought of facing her father with her hand in Link's. Her father would look at her like she'd betrayed him. He'd think that their entire life had been some affair and that he'd failed as a father to protect her. She'd get curfews, people would show up to watch her, she'd lose her freedom. She'd drag Link down with her, and he was too good of a guy to let her fall alone.

Link leaned his head against hers. "It was just a thought. We don't have to tell anyone. I think it'll be kind of fun, actually. You know, part-time."

"Part-time_,_" she repeated. "Hey wait," she said, turning to him with a devious smile. "Did you say we can wait until we're in our fifties? You think we'll be together that long? After one date, you're that confident?"

Link felt all the blood rush to his face and he looked away, biting his lip as his words sunk in, though he turned back to her, unwilling to let her be the only one who could tease the other. "Technically, this is our third. And we've known each other for ten years now, so I think that might bump this to _at least_ the fifth date, since I do already know your favorite color and everything. I'm allowed to accidentally make an embarrassing statement like that."

Zelda bit her lip when she watched the color flood to his face. It was endearing to see him flustered. She figured she'd cut him some slack. She didn't hate his assumption, after all. "I'll give us forty-five, then we'll tell my father. Is that too soon for you?"

He reached for Zelda's hand and moved her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin playfully on her head, despite the stretch. "It might be. Forty eight is my final offer."

"Deal," she said, leaning back against him.

He moved his chin off her and leaned back. Her fingers ran absently along his arms where he held her, causing the hairs to stick up as she brushed over them. He closed his eyes, reveling in her light caress. Every weight that he'd ever carried was gone. It felt like he'd found all the happiness he'd ever lost along the way to this moment.

Zelda felt the same. Like her spirit had been searching for something that had once been ripped away, finally feeling the soothing peace of being whole once again, though she'd never known the feeling until now.

And they knew that nothing, not her father, the suns above, or the cloud barrier below could keep them apart now.

* * *

_A/N: How do you keep drama in a peaceful world after the two characters finally get together? A parent. Hahaha!I don't think I've ever written a calm Zelink relationship! It was very interesting to get to write genuinely happy characters for once! Also, unintentional but how fun that they kissed on chapter 17 at age 17! I'm amused by small things, sorry. _

_**Reviews**: Draegor: Thanks! I'm a sucker for slow burn pacing. Bladeofthebookworms: I'm glad this fic is a bright spot during this time! It certainly has been mine! I'm glad the fluff is on point so far! Queen Emily the Diligent: WOO! Cosmo14: I don't usually read fics that are on the same lines of what I'm writing while I'm writing so I don't subconsciously steal something, but I'll definitely check out that Tumblr because this fic didn't even make it past 10 years, so I doubt I could age them up that far in the next one. I am taking a slight SS break and working on a different Zelda fic on AO3 right now, so if that can hit 5 chapters, I might consider bringing that over here to Fanfic and finish it before moving back to this sequel, so I'll have some time to think up a plot that isn't half-baked. But about this fic, yeah, Link's definitely *not* distracted in his classes at all! Poor thing is the most oblivious guy! Besides BOTW and TP Link, I feel like this one has to be one of the stronger ones and best fighters. He has multiple sword fights against a sword! And Demise! I don't know that he gets enough credit for being epic-ly skilled, mostly because untalented ones like myself were the wielders of the Wii mote! Hahaha! But yes, his dancing was *definitely* intended to be ancient hahaha! And then to the second review response, thank you for spotting that rogue phrase there! I fixed it and I added that the hall was dark. Them "playing" the lyre was one of my favorites for last chapter because it's mirrored in this one with her fall. I consider laughing out loud a big deal so all I can say is yassss! _


	19. Strength and Honor

**Chapter 18 (Age 17)**

"Link!" Zelda said, opening the door to his room. "No way! You're still sleeping?"

He muttered something into his pillow before feeling her weight crashing on top of him, shaking him like he was a flying through a terrible storm.

"Get up!"

He looked at her, though she was little more than a giant blur in his tired eyes. Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled so she was pinned beneath him. "You can stay here, just go to sleep," he muttered. In the near week since they'd first kissed, they'd realized that nothing about their actual friendship had _changed_, things had just... evolved.

Zelda tried to kick him awake, but his leg pinned hers down easily. She was actually pretty sure he'd actually managed to fall back asleep in the three seconds since she'd been in the room. She sighed against him, not in any hurry to actually get away from him, especially given that this would probably be the most privacy they'd have all day. But she had to get him out of bed. Today was _not_ the day to laze around. "Get up! Your fate is in the air! Your life is at stake! Your competition is today! Your-"

She felt Link's lips against hers, stopping her mid-sentence. For a very long moment, she gave in and kissed him back, too taken by the feeling of his lips moving with hers before she finally managed to pull away and hit him in the arm. "No. You can't distract me. I am as focused as a Loftwing. You need to wake up!"

He chuckled and unwillingly let her go. "How late am I?"

She slid out of his arms and pulled the untucked blanket off of him, standing impatiently beside the bed."If you start moving now, you can be there right on time."

Just then, the door opened and Zelda quickly wiped her lips with her hand as if they could see proof that she'd just been kissing Link. And it was true that Pipit looked between the two suspiciously.

Zelda stepped forward and gestured to Link. "He won't wake up. He wants to fail."

That got Pipit into action. "Let's go, slacker! You're getting to that contest on time so you can get in the Sky with Karane and I, so move it!" He grabbed Link's legs and tugged until Link's head bounced off the mattress and onto the floor.

"Ow."

Pipit turned to Zelda with a triumphant smile. "He's up now."

"Good work."

"Out!" Link said, pointing to the door.

Pipit left, but Zelda bent down towards him, stealing a final kiss before they would have to move into their 'part-time' personas. "I will always win in the end, Link. And take care of your morning breath."

He scoffed at her and rolled to his feet, closing the door- and locking it- behind her. With a stretch, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, though not because he wanted to go back to sleep.

Master Eagus had changed the rules of graduation. Because his class was so small and mismatched in the Sparring Hall, Eagus had combined the usual sparring requirement of the graduation ceremony with the annual sparring contest that was held. It was open to everyone over a certain age, including trained Knights. For the sake of fairness, the fights were held in categories based on age so no one like Master Kos would ever go against someone like Pipit. There were 16 fighters in their bracket. Eagus was the only one who'd been pushed up an age bracket so he could watch his students rather than fighting them. This was the biggest events on Skyloft all packed into one. Everyone would be there in some capacity. Loftwing travel wasn't permitted so all Knights had the opportunity to fight.

And if he did poorly after all these years of work, he'd lose and not only be out for the rest of the tournament, but his scores would be brought down for graduation and he could be held back.

He, Groose, Cawlin, and Strich would all be starting against different opponents, but eventually, two would meet, whether they lost early or not.

Link finally opened his eyes and took a breath before grabbing the armor he'd been given for the contest. It was chainmail, simple but effective, and stronger than the armor they'd been practicing with in the Sparring Hall. They'd also provided non-active Knights with a randomly colored tunic to differentiate the contestants while they weren't fighting. His was grey.

He pulled on his boots and gloves before fastening the protective vambraces around his wrist. He didn't need anything else; weapons would be provided for them in the arena, which happened to be the center of town.

Finally, as per Zelda's suggestion, he rinsed his mouth and spit out his window.

When he opened his door to step outside, Zelda, Karane, Pipit, and Fledge were all waiting for him.

"You guys have to get there too," Link chastised, looking at Pipit and Karane especially.

"It's more important that you get there," Pipit said. "It's your graduation requirement. It's just fun for us."

Link waved them at the door. "Go. I'll meet you down there. I think I have to throw up first."

Karane made a face and grabbed Zelda's arm. "Fine. We'll go."

The four of them left and Link leaned his head on his doorframe. He hadn't felt this nervous since he'd first kissed Zelda.

Speaking of, she ran back inside and glanced up the stairs quickly before wrapping her arms around Link and pulling him down to her. They'd been keeping their relationship a secret for just over a week and took advantage of every precious, stolen moment. It never ceased to send Link into a daze. Even for the briefest of seconds, he'd be completely lost in her.

"Hey. I'm rooting for you. You've got this," she said, hurrying up the stairs. "I made some excuse to come back in, so now I have to go find something to bring back."

"Not going to root for Karane?" he called up the stairs.

Her voice was faint and distant. "Don't tempt me!"

He chuckled and headed for the door, glad he didn't wait for her when he saw Karane waiting for Zelda. If they'd come out together… well...Karane was already the most suspicious of the group. She'd figure it out, if she hadn't already.

He jogged past her and heard Zelda running to catch up with everyone. They all reached the square just as Gaepora, alongside Master Eagus, stood up to make the opening announcement.

Gaepora gave Link an exasperated look that said he'd been searching for him.

"Good morning and welcome to this year's championship. The contestants should all be here now, and will find Master Eagus in charge of their scheduled opponents. As usual for the championship, the youngest fighters will go first. This is an important year for some of them. As you may have heard, this is doubling as a scored portion of their graduation exams, rather than holding a separate event. So, see Master Eagus and prepare yourselves. Fights will begin soon. Two fights will occur at a time so we can get through them all. Let's begin!"

The youngest Knights, Link's group, were allowed through first. He, Pipit, and Karane peered over-eagerly at Eagus.

Eagus sighed. "Please don't look at me like that. Knights should probably have more dignity than that."

"I haven't graduated," Link said with a grin, maintaining his eager smile.

With an acknowledging shrug, Eagus glanced at his written notes. "Except for your class Link, everyone was randomly placed with their opponents. You were placed so you, Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch are in separate first rounds, but have the chance to fight one another in the next two." He looked up, seeing a crowd of eager fighters in front of him. "So here the first rounds. Groose versus Karden, Priya versus Cawlin, Glen versus Link, Stritch versus Pipit, Keet versus Hawke, Saffron versus Corbett, Pidge versus Karane, and Wynda versus Tirra."

"Tirra's back?" Link asked excitedly. Eagus' sister was still within their age bracket, but she was always off flying the Outer Sky.

"I am," she said, stepping forward and clasping Link on the shoulder. "You got taller since we last spoke."

"It has been awhile," Link admitted.

"Well, I hope we meet today. Good luck with your first round."

"Thank you, and you too."

She winked at him. "I don't use luck when I fight, only skill."

He laughed and backed away from Eagus to go to the weapons. The swords had flat tips and blunt edges for safety. He grabbed a sword and shield, sticking with the familiar. He knew the older, more experienced Knights liked to use this as a chance to show off their skills with the more unique weapons, but this was too important to him. Karane, Glenn and Stritch also grabbed a shield, though most of the others didn't feel like using one. They also hadn't trained with it. He'd practiced with Karane in class, so he knew that she knew what she was doing, and he'd soon find out about Glenn, his first-round opponent.

Eagus was watching carefully for both points and safety, and had enlisted the help of Master Kos, since two fights were happening at once.

Link, Zelda, Fledge, Pipit, and Karane sat together to watch the first two matches. Link was glad for the tight viewing space, since it allowed Zelda's hand the freedom to make its way into his, unnoticed by anyone else.

He tried to study everyone's movements, but even he couldn't keep up with the first two fights all at once. And he scoffed with disgust when both Cawlin and Groose won their rounds over Priya and Karden. In the next round, they'd fight each other.

Zelda's hand tightened around his quickly before letting go and moving closer to Karane and Fledge. It was time for Link and Pipit to go.

"Hey," Link called before they moved to their own places. "You'd better not let Stritch win."

Pipit chuckled and lightly rested his sword against his shoulder as he walked. "I won't."

Link strode over to Glenn and shook his hands. "Best of luck," he said.

"And to you, undergrad," Glenn said with a smirk.

Link was unfazed. That was the least insulting thing he'd ever been called.

He knew he'd need to pace himself. While he would have loved to defeat Glenn in just a few seconds, this contest was also about skill, not just winning.

"Fight!" Eagus called, once they were all in position.

Glenn wasted no time charging full-tilt at Link, shield raised protectively in front of his body while he ran. Link braced his feet and ducked at the last second, holding out his own shield at an angle to vault Glenn off to the side of the staging ground. Glenn was up quickly and went for another fast attack, presumably to try to keep Link off-guard. Link blocked Glenn's first shot with his shield and their blades clashed together.

Link was able to force Glenn's sword to the ground with his own, being physically stronger despite their age difference, and loosened it from Glenn's grasp before kicking it away.

Though, in his anger, Glenn bashed his shield up against Link's face, sending Link to the ground from the force of the impact.

Making a quick check that he still had all his teeth, Link pushed himself to his feet, wringing his jaw as he did.

"Hey! No face shots! Link, you okay?" Eagus called.

Link could feel the blood dripping down his chin, so he wiped it away, spitting some of it from inside his mouth, and nodded, waiting for Glenn to pick his sword back up.

When he did, Link stopped caring about attaining points.

Glenn had moved into a very defensive stance, sensing that Link would return with relentless retaliating attacks, angered by the cheap shot, and that's exactly what Link let him think.

Charging at Glenn with the same move that had knocked him off his feet the first time, Link saw that Glenn moved into a wider stance to keep his balance, recognizing his own move. His shield was raised and ready. But that was exactly what Link wanted.

Link slid between Glenn's wide-legged stance and rolled to his feet, slamming the flat side of his sword against Glenn's back with a bit more force than he needed. But that was a wining move: it would have been an easy kill if it had been real. Eagus stepped between them quickly when he saw Glenn's enraged expression.

"Link advances! Glenn, you are out. I'm sorry." Eagus gave Link an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Go take care of that," he said, gesturing to Link's bloody mouth before joining Master Kos to watch the rest of Pipit's fight.

Link walked past Groose and Cawlin, both of whom were sneering. They could never do anything with this many people around, so Link pushed by them and went over to Fledge, Karane and Zelda.

Zelda threw her arms around him, but Link pulled away quickly. "Don't, don't; I'm covered in blood. How's Pip doing?"

Karane turned briefly to Link before looking back at the fight that was still happening. "He's going to win. He's going for points now. He'll definitely be your next opponent."

Zelda left Fledge with Karane to follow Link to the stream while he splashed his face and washed the blood off his mouth. They were fairly secluded. The attention was on Pipit anyway. She gently grabbed Link's chin, tilting his head down so she could see. Truly, just an excuse to touch Link, but she didn't try to fool him. "Looks bad," she said dramatically as her fingers splayed to brush more of his skin. In truth, it was already looking a thousand times better with a face clean of blood.

Link reached up and grabbed Zelda's arm, his thumb running smoothly over her skin. His eyes narrowed playfully. "Yeah?

"Oh yeah. Maybe even permanent."

Link grinned, lost for a moment in the shimmer of her gaze. So much so that it wasn't until someone cleared their throat that either noticed someone was there.

Instinctively, Link swatted Zelda's hand away and muttered "Yes, thank you," before turning to see Gaepora.

Gaepora stared at Link with steeled eyes of suspicion and brought his arm casually around Zelda, pulling her back even.

"Good first fight. Are you prepared to fight Pipit later?"

"Yes, Headmaster. Zelda was just telling me how bad this was," he said gesturing to his face, knowing they'd at least been caught on that level.

"Yes... I'm sure she was. I just wanted to check on you after that, but... you seem in good hands." There was a tense silence between all three of them.

Link bit his lip, which stung from the cut lip he'd forgotten about, too nervous to even look at Zelda. "Mhmm," he hummed, looking at the ground.

It seemed that Gaepora was the first to break from it. "You had me nervous this morning that you'd be late."

Link chuckled softly. "Yeah, Zelda woke me…" he cleared his throat again, stopping before going any further with that sentence and turned to her for help. She was fighting an amused grin, either at Link's squirming, or at the thought of him accidentally filling in any details of that sentence. She would absolutely be the least helpful person right now.

Gaepora looked between the two one more time before kissing Zelda's hair. "My _daughter_," he said slowly, emphasizing the word, his eyes on Link, "It's days like today that I'm quite glad you didn't choose Knighthood." He took a step back. "Well, carry on with… whatever it was that you two said you were doing."

"Just heading back, sir," Link said, walking as quickly as possible.

Zelda hurried alongside him, giggling madly. "That was horrible! You did horrible!"

"You didn't jump in with anything."

"Oh Goddess," she said, covering her mouth as she giggled, "I almost just kissed you without knowing my father was watching."

Link wrapped his arm around her shoulder, though this was something they'd done often and wouldn't cause a second glance. "You'd kiss me even with this cut lip?" he asked playfully.

Zelda shook her head and looked up at him with pitiful eyes. "You just look so helpless, you know? Like a sad Remlit that just needs a hug."

Link scoffed and pushed her off of him. It only caused her to laugh some more as they reached the others.

Pipit was hurrying over to Karane and Fledge when they all rejoined each other's company.

"I'll see you next round!" Pipit laughed.

"Nice," Karane asaid sarcastically. "This will go on forever if training in the Sparring Hall is any indicator."

And long after Karane won her match, she was correct. Link and Pipit's match against each other was still going long after Groose had beat Cawlin.

The two friends were at the disadvantage of knowing the other too well. After all, for about four years, they'd been the other's primary sparring partner. When Link moved, Pipit knew what his plan was. And though Link had the upper hand in terms of skill, Pipit was resilient and relentless, refusing to quit at any point. Perhaps the reason the fight lasted so long was something deeper, a subconsciously friendly desire not to knock the other out of the contest.

After the fight had gone on between the two with relatively no progress, Eagus stepped in and motioned for them to step back. "I was warned this might happen with you two. We need to move on, so the next connecting hit, no matter what it is, wins. Go."

Eagus stepped out of the area and Pipit turned to Link, looking him over. Link had a shield. He was done for.

But Link noticed his gaze and took the shield off his arm and tossed it to the ground, swinging his sword in his hand as he nodded to Pipit. If anyone deserved an even fight, it was Pipit.

They took their time, focusing more on technique to avoid getting hit than anything. But when Link jumped back from one of Pipit's wider swings, he used the moment to land a hit on Pipit's side and stepped back.

Pipit cursed, but turned to Link and shook his hand before whacking him lightly in the head. Link chuckled and pushed Pipit away from him as they went back.

"At least we get to see you fight Groose," Pipit said, out of breath.

"Fun."

"Shhh!" Zelda hissed as they walked up next to her. "Karane is against Tirra next."

Pipit sat down. "Why does that mean we have to be quiet?"

"She needs to focus if she's going to beat Tirra."

Pipit looked around. "You know she's not near us, right?"

But no matter where she was, Karane was no match for Tirra. And despite how close Link and Karane were, he had no doubt that it was Tirra who'd come out on top. Karane joined them to watch the rest of the fight between Saffron and Hawke.

"Saffron's got this," Karane bet, still out of breath.

"If this were a flying contest, she'd win any day," Link said. "But I've seen Hawke fight, and he's going to be the one to beat for this whole thing."

Link wasn't wrong. Saffron lost, and Hawke would fight Tirra while Link fought Groose. He wanted to be able to watch their match. It would let him fight one of the two best young fighters he knew.

"Hey," Zelda said, grabbing him before he could stand. "Don't think about Groose or all the awful things he's done."

"Thanks for making me think about all that."

"Do you want me to cheer for him? It would really throw him off his game!"

Link laughed and stood. "Nah. I'd rather fight him at his best."

Rolling her eyes, Zelda sat back down. "You're too chivalrous, Link. You'll make a sickeningly good Knight."

He snickered and moved into the sparring area and faced Groose, who was tauntingly fixing his hair.

"Ready to lose?" he called.

Link rolled his eyes and raised his sword as his answer, leaving his shield behind to give his arm a break. Besides, he had an inkling that he might need two free hands to fight Groose.

The two fought for a short time, and Link was winning with ease, much to Groose's dismay. His attacks grew angrier and more aggressive until Groose's fist began to land several hard hits on Link's body, though that kind of move resulted in a loss of points, even on armor. Link narrowly missed Groose's angry fist swing directly at his head. Several warnings to Groose from Eagus gave Link a moment to back up a safe distance.

When Groose moved at him again with a mischievous glint in his eye, Link knew he had to end this as fast as he possibly could. Groose wasn't against cheating.

With a quick feint, Link maneuvered just under Groose's blade and swung his blunt sword into Groose's armor, sending Groose stumbling to the ground. He placed his sword on Groose's neck and glanced at Eagus, who nodded and stood to announce Link the winner.

But Groose screamed out in a raging sound of frustrated anger and kicked at Link's knee with as much force as he could. Link cried out and collapsed, clutching his knee in pain. He rolled away, sure to put a safe distance between him and Groose before he could make any other movements.

Eagus grabbed Groose by the collar and pulled him away to Headmaster Gaepora while Instructor Owlan went to Link.

Pipit, Karane, Fledge, and Zelda reached him first, though.

"Are you okay?" Owlan said, pushing Fledge and Zelda aside as he knelt at Link's knee.

"I'm fine," Link grumbled, wanting to move away from everyone's prying eyes. "It doesn't hurt."

But as Owlan rolled the leg of Link's pants, his hiss of pain and the already large, discolored purple boot mark over his kneecap said otherwise.

"I'll kill him," Zelda said, going to stand.

Link managed to catch her wrist and shot Karane a cautionary look, one that told her not to let Zelda walk away, before turning back to the blonde. "No, Zel, you should stay here with me."

She shot him daggers. "You have plenty of help. I can fix this."

When Link accidentally tightened his grip on her as he winced in pain when Owlan moved his leg, Zelda sighed and knelt down, though her eyes kept darting at Groose and her father.

"This will hurt for a moment, Link," Owlan warned as he strategically placed his hands around Link's kneecap.

Link let go of Zelda and nodded. Owlan pushed the kneecap over with a snap, and Link bit back a loud grunt of pain.

Owlan shook his head. "You shouldn't fight on this."

Horwell appeared behind the other instructor with a thick, green potion in a bottle. "Don't even bother, Owlan. This boy has never listened to me a day in his life regarding injuries. He'd rather tear his leg off mid-fight than step down. It took long enough, but I think I've finally learned."

"Here," Pipit said, taking off his belt. "Tie this right above your knee. Your leg will go numb, but you'll be able to get through some of the next round."

"Horrible advice," Owlan said with a sigh.

"He'll take it anyway," Horwell said, handing Link the potion. "It won't do much but it should take the edge off the pain. I don't think your opponent will mind."

Pipit pulled Link to his feet and Link limped off to the side, glancing at the other fight to see who was winning. Tirra and Hawke were still going at it, and both were fighting as if for their lives. It was aggressive, and matched well. But Link looked away, needing the time between matches now more than ever.

Eagus ran over to where Link was trying to walk around, though his limp was obvious.

"You can forfeit and you won't risk a serious injury. You've beaten your class, your scores are better than theirs… you can quit."

"Shouldn't you be helping Master Kos?" Link asked, trying to change the subject.

"I can't judge my own sister. Which means I can't judge your fight if she wins. That gives me more time to ask if you really should be doing this?"

"I'm fine. See?" he said, jumping from foot to foot. It sent pain down his leg every time, and he was sure his face showed it, but the more he did it, the less he could feel it. "People get injured every tournament. Look at Keet. Hawke almost took off his arm, or at least it looked it with all that blood."

Link looked at Zelda, but she was glaring at Groose and her father again. "Hey," he said, nudging her.

"He did it on purpose."

Discreetly grabbing her hand, he pulled her closer. "Leave it. It's fine."

Fledge looked around. "I don't even see his parents. There's no way he's going to be sent back home for that if they're not even here."

Gaepora came over to them. Groose was being led back to the Academy by a Knight. "He'll be punished for that." Gaepora's eyes went to Zelda's loose, barely noticeable hold on Link's hand and fought back a roll of his eyes. Not the time for him to bring _that_ up. "Are you truly fine, Link?"

"Yes."

"You can quit."

Link scoffed. "I feel like I have three hearts. One hit won't kill me."

Gaepora patted his shoulder. and looked up at Master Kos' announcement of the winner. "Then you're up. It looks like you're fighting Tirra for the championship."

Link turned, surprised, and saw Tirra hurrying to him.

"You're hurt?"

"No," he said, assuredly.

"I can tone down how I fight and we can fight on even terms to keep this fair."

Link grinned his thanks. "Absolutely not, but thank you. I'm really fine. I've been looking forward to fighting you since I used to sneak into the Sparring Hall to watch you and Eagus."

Tirra nodded. "Okay, but you just say the word if you're hurt and I'll back right off."

"Don't go easy, Tirra," Link warned.

"I would never disrespect you, or the training you and my brother have done, by going easy on you without your permission, Link."

He followed her into the fighting area, leaving his shield again so he'd have a better sense of his own balance, and he tried to hide his limp. Master Kos was watching closely, and more diligently than before. Eagus was unofficially watching from the side, unsure who he wanted to win: his prodigy mentee, or his sister. Kos nodded when they both stood in place, ready.

"Fight!"

As he did with Eagus, Link let Tirra make the first move. Their swords clashed together several times, and it was clear that she was testing him. It wasn't the same kind of test that Eagus had done last they'd sparred. She wasn't looking with the eyes of a mentor, but ones of an opponent. She already knew his one weakness: his knee. But she tested his footwork, and he moved better than she'd expected for one in pain. She tested his speed. He was fast, and quick to block and parry. And it didn't take her long to realize that his skill was far beyond his year.

She swung her sword down hard, but Link's clashed against hers with equal force, connecting in a battle of strength as they fought to push the other back.

Normally, Link would have been stronger. It's all he spent his time doing for years. But he couldn't put as much weight on his leg and found his strength matched with hers.

Tirra finally maneuvered just enough to get the upper hand and pushed. Link staggered, but regained his footing in time to block another flurry of swings.

In a swift motion, Link was able to turn the tides in his favor, moving from defense to offence. With his mind focused on nothing else, he was able to forget the pain in his leg and to move more freely around Tirra.

She swung at him, and he rolled off to the side, coming back to his feet in time to cross blades again, though his leg shook with the effort the move had taken.

Both moved across the area far more than any other opponent had. They met again and again, sending one another stumbling off to the side and trying to press every advantage. On the ground, Link barely avoided a harsh blow to the head. On her feet, Tirra did everything she could to avoid losing her grip of her sword in Link's relentless assault.

Link hopped off to the side, his entire body tired and sore. He was finally feeling the full-force of pain in his knee, and he breathed heavily. Tirra was winded as well, holding her side where she'd taken a blow from the hilt of Link's sword.

They moved back together and metal rang out. Link ducked underneath her sword and crashed into her, pushing her arm away while spinning to catch himself on his feet as she fell. As if the world was moving slowly, he grabbed the sword in her hand and pushed her arm up with his own sword. The movement forced her own sword out of reach as she fell. With both swords in his hands, he spun to face her, crossing the swords at a safe distance from her neck.

Tirra laughed and stood slowly, offering Link her hand in congratulations.

Sound disappeared from Link's ears. He couldn't hear Master Kos call his win, or hear Tirra's verbal congratulations. All he could hear was his harsh, ragged breathing. He took her hand, and shook it before handing back her sword.

And then he felt half of Skyloft crash into him in celebration.

Sound returned all at once and the thundering cheers from the crowd threatened to deafen him.

"Quiet, quiet," Master Kos said as Eagus rejoined him. Tirra was at his side, smiling. Kos waited for Skyloft to quiet down before speaking again. "What a match! This is historic indeed! This is the first contest where an undergraduate Knight has taken the win. And from a veteren nearly ten years his senior! Link, congratulations. You earned this win."

Link nodded once and started to back away.

Master Kos returned his attention back to Skyloft. "That concludes the first round of fights! Now, would the established Knights come forward for your matchups?"

Link hobbled off to the river, ignoring the glares of several of his opponents. Glenn, Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch all watched with narrowed eyes as he passed to take a quick drink from the stream to soothe his dry throat.

He stood and turned just in time to catch Zelda as she threw herself against him. He stumbled backwards, but kept a tight hold on her, chuckling. He felt her discretely kiss his neck where her head rested. He squeezed her in response, but had to tap her waist. "My knee, my knee," he reminded her, feeling the sharp shooting pain up his leg.

"Sorry!" she gasped, letting him go.

Pipit, Karane, and Fledge piled onto him, clapping his back, rustling his hair. He laughed along with them and, when they'd given him enough space, he pulled off the grey tunic and chainmail, though he still had another looser shirt underneath that, letting his shoulders rest from the weight of it.

He sat down and stretched out his leg, still in disbelief. "I just won."

Pipit sat down and felt Karane all but jump on the two of them, dragging Zelda and Fledge with her. The five crashed in a pile down to the grass, laughing.

"We actually did it," Karane laughed. Being a first year, she had almost not expected to get past round one. But Link winning it all? That was unheard of.

He was glad of Karane's excited chatter. It gave him an opportunity to look at Zelda again. Her smile was unending, like this was the best thing that could have happened to _her_, and she hadn't been involved in any way. She caught him staring and turned, pride and affection were scrawled all over her face.

"You finally let me watch you fight," she whispered, putting her hand over his. She leaned closer to him, their sides pressing together. "I wasn't disappointed."

Link couldn't respond, couldn't find the words, really, as he stared at her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her. A big part of him screamed that they were just near their friends. That people would have to find out some day. But the other part cautioned him to weigh his actions. But the way she looked at him, the way he involuntarily found himself drawn towards her, the overpowering desire to just hold her...

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she laughed, but bit her lip as her smile faded from amusement into something much softer. From where he sat, he could practically hear her heart thumping against her chest.

"Hey!" Pipit said impatiently. They barely heard him. That was the moment it all clicked completely together for Karane: the moment she could see it in their eyes, not just their actions.

Link saw Zelda's look change to one of embarrassment and mild horror when she spotted her father and Eagus staring at them. Link followed her gaze and quickly scooted away from her, closer to Pipit. He let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and felt his good knee start to bounce anxiously.

"Father," Zelda greeted with an innocent smile as he and Eagus stopped in front of the group. Link looked up, less adept at masking his expressions, but well-versed in focusing on different ones. He grinned, thinking about his win.

Gaepora's suspicious eyes looked around the group. "Congratulations to you three, but especially you, Link."

"You took some good hits today," Eagus mused, craning to get a better view of Link's swollen lip as well.

Gaepora's fingers twitched when his eyes brushed over Zelda's hand resting on Link's. He gritted his teeth, berating himself for not noticing anything odd about them earlier. And with a promise to himself to see if his suspicions were true, or if today was just an emotionally-high day.

"Link," he finally managed. "You must be excited for your prize. It differed for your class than it would for the others, but I think you'll like it. Are you going to get that knee properly looked at now?"

"Yes, Headmaster," Link said, leg wobbling as he tried to get himself to his feet with a grimace.

Gaepora held out his hand to Link. "Pipit, help me get Link inside."

"I'm fine," Link insisted, though he accepted Gaepora's and Pipit's help.

Eagus laughed and headed back to the fighting area. "Oh, trust me, you'll feel it all later."

Link pointed to Eagus. "Don't lose before I get back out here."

Eagus scoffed, stopping to taunt Link with his wide, challenging arms. "Oh Link, I have absolutely no intention of losing at all."

Everyone laughed, and Gaepora motioned for Pipit to grab one side of Link while he supported the other. "Come on, I'll tell you about your prize inside."

Link glanced back at Zelda and made a face, annoyed that he needed to get any type of treatment. She grinned and crossed her arms as he walked away.

"Fledge, we'll meet you back over there. Okay Z," Karane said, pulling Zelda away from potential ears that might overhear. "I think it's time you start explaining a few things."

* * *

_A/N: Disclaimeer: I don't know anything about serious knee injuries or their treatment. Don't try to wrap a belt around your leg at home. But whew, I might have gone slightly insane when writing this chapter. I created a legit bracket so I could keep track of everything and then didn't want to overload on fights, get some of that Knight Academy plot moving, but I also wanted to keep some fluff scattered, and I wanted to get the idea that Link can take a few hits and still get back up like in the game._

_Reviwes: LINDINI200: Thanks! In the game, since Zelda gets Hylia's memories, I figure that since Link has Hylia's hero's spirit that he'd get some of that as well. Not quite the same thing with being the reborn Goddess and having a spirit, but creative liberties there hahaha! Draegor: Hahaha it brings me joy to stress people out! I think Gaepora gives off that vibe, but so do the other Zelda's fathers, like BOTW and I think Minish Cap is the other I'm tinking that gave off that vibe after the beginning, too. TeamChicken: Thank you! I do have vague plans for a sequel right now! Ellenar: Not that being a puddle sounds like the most fun existance, but yasss! Hahaha! Cosmo14: Oh, agreed that he's the most motivated. I don't know why I posted on AO3 and not here. It's a little more experimental: a non-game, love triangle with more violence and suggestive themes than my fics on here, so idk if that's still your style, which is totally fine. It's a different pen name, but it's on my profile here. Anyway! Thank you for being my accidental beta reader! I fixed that typo which was so sadly in the first few lines! Yeah, I replayed the beginning of the game before writing these last few chapters and realized that I had quite a bit that wasn't matching canon, but it was too late at this point. Gaepora's getting suspicious here! Hope that's some consolation for the awkward talk between them not happening in this chapter! Lol!_


	20. If Given a Choice

**Chapter 19 (Age 17)**

Zelda sat up, slamming her fist against her mattress in frustration. That horrible dream _again. _

She stood up, needing to walk around to shake it off. Darkness and screams. People calling out for her in fear. Her own dread, knowing that she was leaving something behind forever.

She went to her window and opened it, feeling the breath of fresh air that she needed. But her eyes landed on the wooden Loftwing on her desk that Link had made for her and she let her fingers run across the wooden feathers. He'd be back soon. She had to be happy for him, but didn't quite realize just how much she'd miss him, and it had only been a few days…

But no, she needed sleep.

_This time, when she closed her eyes, her nightmares were about Link. He was riding his Loftwing through the early territory of the Outer Sky, as was his reward for winning the contest. But instead of things going smoothly, he was pulled from his Loftwing and dove through the cloud barrier below. But he didn't die. _

_He landed on his feet, on a surface. On __The __Surface. _

That was all she was afforded before the sun shone through her open window and onto her face. She blinked her eyes open and stretched. Changing quickly, she went to hurry outside. At least she was free today and could fly.

"Zelda!" Gaepora called, stopping her in her tracks.

"Yes, Father?" she asked, wincing.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be dramatic; you're not in trouble."

"Oh."

He pulled her aside and smiled all-too sweetly. "As you know, Link's Wing Ceremony is happening soon. He's out there now, preparing for a potentially permanent position in the early regions of the Outer Sky upon graduation."

"I'm aware."

"Well, you must also know that the auditions for the role of the Goddess for the Wing Ceremony are today. I think you should try out."

Zelda shook her head. "The last time I played the Goddess in a play, I was so sick and so nervous. I don't think I can do that again."

"I understand," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "It's just that… Link is the frontrunner to graduate first, as you know. And with the Outer Sky assignment, he will be away from Skyloft for long stretches of time. I know you two are dear friends, and I thought you might perhaps like to share that moment together. It's a big moment for a Knight, and I think he'd like to have it with you. And it's the anniversary ceremony. It's special in so many ways this year. Of course, if he should lose, you'd still have to perform the ceremony with Groose, Cawlin, or Stritch, but still, I think you should consider it. Just come to the Goddess Statue in an hour. There are a few others who'd like the part, but you play the lyre so beautifully."

Zelda shifted back and forth. She really had enjoyed playing the Goddess, but all those people watching her had made her so nervous. But… she knew he was right. The moment with the Goddess at the end of a Wing Ceremony was an honor afforded to the one with the highest scores in the class. And it was a moment that they never forgot. Link had even told her stories of Master Kos' Wing Ceremony, which was a story the old swordsman liked to tell. Namely because the Goddess was played by someone he absolutely hated, but the moment still held power, despite that fact. Pipit even talked often about how his ceremony with Wynda had been quite special to him. It was as if the Goddess truly were there, blessing the Knights as she had done to her own.

But something about the sly way her father looked at her had her suspicious. "Is there some strange reason you're encouraging me to do this? You know how I felt after playing the Goddess the last time. I felt... odd."

Shaking his head with an innocent expression, he shrugged. "I just thought it was appropriate, given the class and the year."

"Okay, I'll try. But don't ask anyone to make me the Goddess just because. Let me try to earn it."

Gaepora kissed her forehead. "I can do that."

And that's how Zelda found herself pacing in front of the Goddess statue with four other girls. She recognized some of them as the Goddess in past ceremonies, though not every face was familiar.

"Zelda?" called Wryna, one of the judges of the audition.

Zelda took a deep breath and headed over to the three judges. Wryna was one, Dovos was another, and Piper was the third.

Piper smiled. "Oh, Zelda! I'm so glad you're trying out for the Goddess this time."

Zelda grinned. She hadn't expected to see Piper outside her restaurant… ever. "I figured I should so I could honor the Goddess and the Knights." Internally, she laughed. She'd practiced including the Goddess in as many answers as she possibly could.

"Your father told us that you're already proficient at the lyre. It would be so nice if you'd play for us so we could hear. As you know, the Goddess was an accomplished harpist and carried a lyre-harp of her own."

"I didn't bring it with me. I wasn't aware…"

"Oh, no," Dovos said, gesturing for her to come forward. "We have one here. It is said to be identical to the Goddess' own."

Zelda gingerly took it and let her fingers run along the strings. It was beautiful, golden with etched Loftwings along the sides. The notes themselves were heavenly, and she felt completely unworthy to hold such an object. But at the same time, it felt so familiar in her hands.

Her fingers moved against the strings, plucking out the melody she'd heard a thousand times in her life. The Goddess' song was well-known. It surprised her that she knew how to play it. She'd never tried in the past, but the notes came naturally to her.

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she was no longer in front of the panel, but sitting on the stump of a tree in a field far longer than the entirety of Skyloft. The harp was in her hands, and the melody rang out. She heard her voice, soft and steady, sing the famous words: "Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess, unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land." Then, she stopped singing and looked up. She didn't see judges before her, but a Knight clad in green with a red scarf hanging around his neck, watching her with a soft smile.

Jolting back to the present, she brought her attention back to the judges. Their eyes were wide, smiling, teary even.

Wryna smiled. "Zelda, love, that was incredible. I felt I could hear the Goddess' own voice in yours. Your melody brought me to tears. I think you should wait with the others now. We still have one more girl to see. Thank you."

Zelda nodded, grateful that the audition had only been singing. Though, she didn't remember doing so. She remembered seeing something, seeing someone, but she didn't remember doing anything on her own. And that unnerved her.

When the final girl returned, the three judges came forward and smiled. Piper was the one who spoke.

"We are so grateful for all of you coming out here today. However, we have made our choice. This year's Goddess Hylia will be Zelda. Congratulations, hun. Please, to all of you, feel free to try again at the next Wing Ceremony. We loved hearing each and every one of you."

Zelda smiled, waiting for the other girls to leave. Piper put her hand around Zelda's.

"There are a few things you'll need to do to prepare. We'll give you the script and the music, though it seems you've already got that last one down. And we'll work with you, but you will need to create this year's sailcloth. If you're unfamiliar with how to create such an item, please see one of us. We've all done it before. But we won't start today. Go, tell your father and then meet us up here when the sun's at its peak tomorrow."

"Thank you, Piper."

So, Zelda met with Piper and the others the next day, setting to work on making a working sailcloth of white and blue fabric with a very specific design pattern. They told her stories of how the other Goddesses often prepared, had her play some more music and sing, and ultimately, she continued working on the sailcloth.

The day after that, she felt comfortable enough to work on it alone in her room.

But after hours of work, she was bored tired of it and wanted to do something different, so she went for a ride.

For a while, she had no clue where to go or what to do. She just knew she needed to be off Skyloft for now.

Exploring the Sky with her Loftwing never felt old. It always felt as if there was something new to see. She passed by a building, noticing that someone and their Loftwing were there, moving things between Skyloft and the small shack. She wondered how long they'd been building it.

By the forbidden Thunderhead, she squinted to try to see inside, as she always did. One day, she'd ask Link to bring her inside. It was only allowed for experienced Knights or villagers with a Knight. The ride through the clouds was said to be beyond harsh and more than dangerous. Maybe… maybe she didn't actually want to see inside.

She felt her eyes grow tired, pretty sure she'd dozed off on her Loftwing since she awoke far from the Thunderhead. She'd just been tired lately, plagued by too many nightmares to count. Voices echoed through her brain, and hands pulled her in all directions.

But she felt her Loftwing start flying erratically. She held on tightly and looked around, but the Loftwing was single-mindedly on its own mission. "What's wrong?" she called, not actually expecting her bird to answer.

So when she heard a voice, she gasped in surprise.

"At least your Loftwing is excited to see us."

"Link?"

She saw a shadow cast over her and looked up, watching Link pull off his hood as he rode up beside her.

He took in her wide smile, her breathless laugh, and her absolutely shocked expression. "Miss me?" he asked cheekily.

"Goddess, yes! Tell me everything! Fly to our spot!"

"Wait," he called, looking behind him. "How would you like to see something else first?"

"Like what?"

"A part of the Outer Sky."

Zelda's eyes widened. Only Knights ventured out that far. "We'd get in trouble."

Link shrugged. "I'm allowed there now, and if you hop on, what can they say? Besides, I'm willing to take a risk if you are."

She thought for a minute before the smile of a natural-born trouble maker lit up her face. "You going to catch me?" she asked, moving her Loftwing closer.

"Always," he said, suddenly serious. But he slid the easy smile back on his face and held out his hand. She grabbed it and jumped from her Loftwing to Link's. His arm pulled her across so she was behind him, and he didn't let go until he could feel her arms tighten around his waist.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" she asked as he spurred his Loftwing back in the direction he came. Zelda's Loftwing followed just beside them.

"Do you really want me to ruin it?"

"No," she admitted, though she had to yell for him to hear. They were flying fast, and Link was a bit too tall for her. When he was flying at this speed, sitting forward, she wasn't even close to being able to talk into his ear.

As they rode, Link could feel her arms shaking. He turned around and noticed her sleeves. Short. The Outer Sky was notoriously colder than any part of the Sky near Skyloft, and they were heading out into its territory. Slowing his Loftwing, he turned so she could hear him. "Hey! Grab my cloak."

"Okay?" she said, holding on tightly to it. She felt it hit her as he released the clasp. He undid his scarf… a red one like in her waking dreams, and handed it back to her, holding tight as it flapped in the wind.

"Put these on. You're not dressed for the Outer Sky. Sorry, I didn't even think!"

"What about you?"

"I'm fine. I came out here prepared. Layers."

She didn't want to take everything from him, but a large part of her was glad that he'd noticed her shivering. She wrapped his warm scarf around her neck before fastening the cloak around her and pulling up the hood before returning to her secure position against him. He ran a hand along hers and pulled back. They were freezing.

"Zel, put your hands under my shirt."

Zelda couldn't have hidden her surprise if she'd been paid hundreds of rupees. "What?"

She felt him laughing hard, the movements jolting her. He turned slightly and she caught sight of his red ears, and it definitely wasn't from the cold. "That's not _quite_ what I meant. I have layers on, remember? Your hands are ice and this wind isn't helping you."

Hesitating, her fingers toyed with the hem of his outermost shirt.

She felt his hands against hers, moving them for her so they were tucked under the top layer of his flying clothes. She felt instant warmth and let her head rest against his back.

They flew for a while, much longer and farther out than Zelda had ever gone before. Link had pointed out an island in the distance, Fledge and Groose's home. And despite both of them wanting to take a quick visit, it would ensure that they were caught.

So, they continued on for some more time. Talking was difficult at this speed, but Zelda was content to stay pressed against Link, realizing just how much she'd missed him. She felt something stir inside her brain… something about Link... another realization, but not one she had words for yet.

"Hey!" she heard him call as he sat back so she could hear him. She adjusted her grip on him and noticed that they'd slowed down. "You ready? We're nearly there."

"Yes."

She waited as they flew further out, but she saw nothing.

_Nothing_.

She turned, looking around wildly. It was Sky, and nothing but Sky. There were no floating rocks, or miniature islands. There was nothing being pulled in by the mass of the Thunderhead. There were no birds besides hers and Links because there was nowhere that they could perch. There were no clouds except for the ones that formed a barrier below.

"Oh, Goddess," she breathed.

She'd never seen emptiness before. It was a concept she understood; there can be an absence of everything, but she'd never felt it before.

It was like floating, or falling. There was a dizzying sensation that she found shocking when she realized she couldn't tell up from down as she stared out into an invisible horizon. It was just blue. Just Sky.

"This is…" she stuttered, unable to form words.

"I thought you'd like it."

"How'd you…"

Again, she couldn't find the ability to speak, so Link filled in her question. "I passed through on my way out and I thought of you and how you'd probably have the same reaction I did. And I was right."

Zelda shifted up and kissed the side of Link's neck, causing him to freeze against her. He couldn't turn to meet her lips as he was on the Loftwing, but he could hear her breath of amazement as she looked around again.

He ran his hands along the skin of her arm and smiled. "Hey, I need to land on something for a bit. My Loftwing hasn't had a break in a while. Besides, we have to head back before the sun disappears."

"I know," she said, looking out one more time.

So they turned back to Skyloft, prepared for another decently long ride.

Link found a small rock that they could stop on, one that gave his Loftwing some space to spread out for a break.

"So," he said, sitting beside Zelda on the rock, finally getting the chance to really look at her. "Tell me what you've been up to."

"I, uh, maybe this is a surprise or maybe it's bad news but… I tried out for the Goddess for your Wing Ceremony, and I got it."

"You did? I could have sworn you said you'd never play the Goddess again!" Link exclaimed with a laugh. "Why would this be bad?"

"I didn't know if you wanted me to be apart of your ceremony. It was all really short notice."

"Of course I'd want that. Well now I have no choice but to win the Wing Ceremony, don't I?"

"You better!" she laughed, lightly hitting his arm. "If I have to do the ceremony with Groose, I'll feed you to my pet Remlit."

Link scoffed. "Ever the kindest soul."

"So, tell me about what you've been doing," she insisted, staring out at the Sky.

"Not much. They sent me somewhere that's already well-documented. I think it was just a prize more than an actual assignment. But, Goddess, Zelda, it was incredible. You saw. Everything about being out there was just… I was free."

Zelda leaned her head against his arm. "I'm so happy for you."

But Link could hear something in her voice. Something off. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"No, tell me. What's wrong?"

Zelda shook her head. "I just… I'm stupid. I feel like I should have done this too. You, Karane, Pipit, Fledge… you're all going to be out here and I'm just going to be stuck home on Skyloft. You don't know how much I missed you, Link, and it was only a few days. And Karane went back out. Pipit's taken the night patrols, so he's asleep during the day. Fledge is training. And I'm left with a bunch of instructors who are at least forty years older than me."

"That's not giving Horwell any credit," Link snorted, trying to lighten the mood. It did earn him a small smile, but not much.

"I'm just alone, and I don't know how to fix it."

Link stiffened and then shifted uncomfortably. "You're… you're not…"

She waited as he struggled to find the words.

"You're not subliminally asking me to choose, right? Between you and an Outer Sky position?"

Zelda's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, Goddess, no! Never! I'd never do that to you. I'd never do that to anyone. I swear on the Blood of the Hero, I will never ask you to do that."

Link made a surprised noise and brought his hands up to his mouth to rest on against his knees, breathing heavier than usual. "That's pretty serious."

"I mean every word. I would never."

Link nodded to himself, his eyes still lost inside his own mind. His foot tapped the rock anxiously. "If you ever did ask… if there was ever a reason…"

"I wouldn't-"

"I'd choose you."

Zelda stopped, her words falling from her mouth. "Y-you'd… what?"

He sniffed in hard, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I just thought you should know. No matter why… if you ever needed me to make that choice for any reason at all… I thought you should know my answer."

"Me? I'd never ask you to choose, know that now. But Link, that position is what every Knight _dreams_ of. You can't give it up so easily, even hypothetically."

Link rolled his head back, like the words he was saying were physically paining him. In some way, they were, but not because he didn't want to say them. It was because he knew they weren't _just_ words, and so did Zelda. They meant so much more.

"The Outer Sky isn't what I dream about. Or who."

Zelda's mouth dropped open, completely taken aback by this revelation. It stirred something inside her, like a memory, of what that deep-rooted feeling was that she'd been feeling so strongly but couldn't identify from any past experience herself.

Leaning over, she pressed her lips to Link's, needing nothing more in that moment than to feel his move with hers. The weight of his words was not lost on her. Not by a long shot. For a Knight, the Outer Sky was the world. And he'd give up the world... for her.

She was balancing herself on one hand to reach him, and felt herself slip from the force of her own intensity.

Link's arms caught her, snaking around her waist and dipping her backwards down to his lap, not pulling his lips from hers until the last possible second when he could no longer bend far enough to reach her. She felt herself laughing the lower she sank onto his lap, and Link felt her contagious effect, joining her immediately.

"It wasn't _that_ romantic of a comment, Zel," he joked, pulling her back up.

"Lies," she said with a giggle, finally making her way to her feet. It was written all over the look in his eyes; he knew just how important his comment had been. "It's all about context, Link. That's easily the best line you've ever tried on me."

"'Tried?' That sounds like I failed," he laughed.

She watched him stretch, preparing for the rest of the flight home. "Hey," she whispered, holding out her hand.

He looked at her skeptically before taking it. He felt her arms wrap around him in an embrace that they could never manage under the prying eyes of home. He ran absent circles over her back with his hand, and she closed her eyes. "Thank you, Link."

He stopped his hand and pulled her closer, kissing her hair. "Anytime."

Zelda pulled away and felt the immediate loss of Link. "It'll be dark soon, and as much as I'd love to stay here, I also don't want my father to call for a search party."

"You're right," Link said, moving beside his Loftwing. "When I graduate, we can do this again."

Zelda grabbed his arm, trying her best serious face. "When you graduate, I'm using your status to bring me everywhere."

He narrowed his eyes on her. "You want me to get you into the Thunderhead, don't you?"

Her mouth dropped open, rolling her eyes, though she couldn't deny it.

"I'll bring you anywhere… but you have to bring your own jacket next time. I can't keep supplying your addiction to taking my things."

She smiled and followed him back up onto the Loftwing. "It was one sweater, but whatever. That's a deal."

* * *

_A/N: I think this trip was probably one of my favorite scenes to write. I'm genuinely sad that this is almost over! Next chapter is the longest chapter in this whole fic because it actually was supposed to be two, and then I didn't feel like getting an odd number, so it's just long instead. I know some people haven't played the game, so just a fair warning that the next chapter has game events in it. They're edited to fit this fic, but they're still spoilers for the beginning of the game. _

_Reviews: PennyForYourThoughts024: Thank you! It's good to hear that you liked the fights! I think these two are killing it together so far haha! Draegor: Haha the showdown of hormoney teens versus parent! I'd play a whole game with that as the premise just for laughs. Cosmo14: Hahaha! Definitely not a missed opportunity anymore! __Detective Gaepora is on the case, fishing for clues from his daughter! He's finally doing his own sleuthing at least! I love how the prize could be legit, or a really uncomfortable chat with Gaepora bahaha! But yeah, thanks for checking it out anyway! It's not my usual style either, but I figured why not? And thanks! I didn't know it did that for links in a profile too. Yeah, that's definitely a missing period. Thank youuu! _


	21. Chosen

**Chapter 20 (Age 17)**

Link tossed and turned violently after seeing the great shapes appear behind his eyes. A dark creature, larger than a Leviathan hovered over him, threatening him with its massive teeth. A darkness swallowed the entire world, leaving nothing to stand between him and his inevitable end. But a voice pierced through the void, reaching him in a series of murmurs that he somehow understood as clearly as if the voice had spoken to him in his own tongue.

_Rise, Link… the time has come for you to awaken. You are fated to have a hand in a great destiny, and it will soon find you… The time has come for you to awaken… Master._

Link's eyes shot open, his body whipping up in fright. A dream. It was only a dream.

Or was it?

In front of his face was a Loftwing… Zelda's. He screamed and felt something hard below him… the floor. His foot was still tangled in the sheet as he looked up at the bird. _Well,_ he thought to himself. _This is a new way to get me up. _

He stared down her bird, unable and unwilling to stand. They seemed locked in an eternal contest of wills. Who would blink first? But the bird didn't care nearly as much as Link thought and spit out a letter that landed with a light thud against his head. He waited until the Loftwing's head disappeared out his window once more before he felt it was safe enough to stand.

He grabbed the letter, rubbing his sore neck, and sighed. He was too tired for letters. And he desperately wished Zelda had come in person. Today would be so busy, and they'd be under scrutiny for most of the day. Tearing the flap open, he wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat down to read.

_"Hey, sleepyhead. I'm guessing this letter will be your alarm clock this morning. Did I guess right? Rise and shine, Link! Today's the Wing Ceremony! You promised to meet me before it starts, remember? You'd better not keep me waiting. -Zelda"_

Link opened his window to check the time. Surely it couldn't be late enough that he'd missed his meeting with Zelda. But when he saw the light, he cursed and ran to his wardrobe, changing as fast as he could. Yes… he could absolutely have slept through their meeting.

He ran out the door, still disoriented from sleep. But as he went to go to to the Goddess Statue, he heard someone call his name.

"Link! Hey! Today's your Wing Ceremony and _you_ slept in?" Horwell's tone was sarcastic. Link supposed his disheveled hair didn't do him any favors in suggesting otherwise. He smoothed it back and made a face, guilty. Well, Link was nothing if not consistent.

"Getting some last minute bird-racing practice in before the ceremony?" he said , not bothering to hide the suggestion in his voice.

Link rubbed his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm going to. I have to meet Zelda first, so… if you don't mind."

"Well," Horwell said, grabbing Link's arm to stop him. "Speaking of Zelda. I might have… opened my door prematurely this morning when I went to feed Mia and the little Remlit… may have gotten onto the roof. My old bones, Link… would you help?"

Link looked at the relatively young instructor suspiciously._ Old bones_. "Fine."

"You'll make a good Knight, Link."

Rolling his eyes, Link ran at the wall, pushing himself up onto a small ledge and then again up onto the roof faster than if he'd gone around. He looked for Mia, seeing her on the second roof.

"Are you making me do this as some sort of hidden training exercise?" Link called down to Howlan.

But the instructor just laughed, "If only I could be so devious!"

Link took a breath and climbed onto the box that had been left up there to get onto the second roof and grabbed the ledge with all his strength, pulling himself up with ease.

"Hey, Mia," Link cooed. "You wanted to make my day more difficult, didn't you?"

The Remlit looked up at him lazily, disinterested in moving or reacting or anything but mewling, really. He picked her up with an affectionate pat on the head and made his way back to Horwell.

"Thank you, Link. And if you can… um… discreetly tell the Headmaster that it's taken care of. He was going to send a Knight to assist me after meeting with Zelda, but we don't want her distracted today."

Link scoffed, backing up. "But no one minds distracting me?"

Horwell shrugged. "You're always distracted."

Link chuckled and headed up the steps, seeing Zelda's Loftwing flying above the statue. He turned, looking for Gaepora first. But his intentions were interrupted when he noticed Zelda instead. She was staring at the statue, but he could hear her strum the song she'd been practicing for days. Then, over the wind, he could hear her voice carrying the notes in a soft, sweet melody.

"Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess, unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land..."

The wind rustled her long hair, tied back at the bottom with two ribbons. She wore a dress he'd never seen her in with a white shall over her shoulders.

He swallowed hard and leaned against the nearest pillar, listening as she practiced.

Suddenly, her hand stilled on the strings and she turned. Link felt like a young schoolboy when she smiled at him, still unable to suppress the butterflies he felt around her. They weren't the same nerves he'd once felt, but something completely different. Something like happiness that manifested so strongly that it threatened his ability to function rather than debilitating fear and crippling anxiety that she might not feel the same way towards him or that he might ruin their friendship.

"Hey! Good morning, Link." She held her lyre close to her and walked towards him. "I'm glad to see my Loftwing got you out of bed."

"Yeah, thanks for that heart attack," he murmured.

Zelda shrugged. "I was pretty sure you'd sleep in and forget to meet me this morning. You cut it close."

Link's eyes glistened as he peered over at her, a playful grin on his face. "I'm sorry. How would you like me to make it up to you?"

She took a step closer to him. "I'll think of something." She noticed his gaze flickering to her outfit and she spun around excitedly. "Look at this instrument and this outfit! They're mine to use for my role as the Goddess! Aren't they beautiful? And this... it's based on the Goddess' own lyre. They say that the markings are nearly exact from the one she'd left behind."

Link looked her over slowly with that same grin, and she hit his arm. He chuckled, clearing his throat. "The _instrument _looks very beautiful."

"Stop it," she hissed, though her face pinkened. She looked around. "My father will be coming over here at any time."

Link made a face, and Zelda rolled her eyes in playful exasperation. She tugged lightly at the shawl she wore.

"This is what I was making! I didn't want to show you earlier, but I made this wrap myself! It was not the easiest thing, let me tell you that."

"Yeah, I could tell from your reaction the other day." He'd never been thrown out of her room so fast when he'd nearly spotted the white fabric on her bed.

"Don't judge until you've had to make something like this. It had to be functional, you know."

"Functional?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Nevermind. I wanted you to be the first to see me like this before the ceremony." She spun around again. "So tell me really, how do I look?"

Link leaned back, pretending to scrutinize her with some expert eye. "Hrmm… you look-" he stopped, seeing her motion quickly with her head, a warning. Someone was in earshot. Clearing his throat again, he raised his voice, putting on his most professionally neutral voice, "You look great, Zelda. Just like the Goddess, I'd imagine."

"Ah, there you are, Zelda," Gaepora's voice rang out. "Are you all prepared for the ceremony?"

"Hello, Father."

Gaepora looked between them. Link had the feeling that Gaepora might know more than he let on. Gaepora had been watching them more carefully, appearing as if from thin air when they didn't know he was even nearby.

"Ah, Link, you're here too. Outstanding. It's encouraging to see you up so early, given your capacity for sleep. Remember the sparring championship? You nearly slept through your match."

"It wasn't that bad," Link muttered.

"Well, if you win today as well, you'll participate in the ceremony with Zelda, so give it your best out there."

Link and Zelda exchanged a look, unsure what he was insinuating.

Gaepora laughed. "It's good to see two friends get to celebrate together."

Zelda started to feel her cheeks turn red and she turned to Link, knowing she had to do something. Gaepora had been making several sly comments about their friendship lately, and she didn't want to hear the comments he _wasn't_ saying aloud. "About that… Father, I don't know if he can do it! He never practices for the ceremony and when he does, he just flies around lazily. Probably daydreaming. You should speak with him."

Link turned to her with a mischievous expression. "What in the Wide Sky would I have to daydream about, I wonder?"

"Father?" Zelda prodded before her face could heat up.

Gaepora waved his hands. "No need to worry yourself, Zelda," he said, apparently buying into her topic change. "Victory will not come easily today, and it's true that I've seen Groose, Cawlin, and Stritch out there far more often than Link. I know your acquisition of your Loftwing is still recent, despite your natural skills and your special connection to your Loftwing, but they've been training harder than ever, and they've been flying for longer. But Zelda, you know better than to fret about him. He'll do fine."

Zelda noticed Link's expression change as he looked into the Sky,, his brow creasing, but Gaepora interrupted Link's thoughts, laughing as he clapped him on the back. "You'll graduate with your scores already, Link. You just want to use today to make it to the top of your class."

Zelda turned on her father with an energy that she often saved for Groose. "Father! This contest is not a laughing matter! If he gets hurt, or if he comes in last, he might not win!"

"Calm down, Zelda. It's honestly like you become a different person when you worry about Link."

Zelda turned to Link, as softness spreading over her features that she was glad her father couldn't see.

Link turned from her, nervous that Gaepora could see that same softness mirrored on his face as he looked at Zelda. "I'll be fine, but…"

Gaepora interrupted them, pointing to the Sky. "You should squeeze in some practice before the race."

Zelda sweetly grabbed Link's hand and then pulled him with a force that had him staggering. "That's just what I was thinking! Come on! You'll thank me later!"

Link stumbled on the wooden platform, feeling Zelda's hands pushing his back.

"No, wait! Zel, wait!"

"Let's go! And be serious this time!"

"I can't sense my Loftwing, Zelda."

"Sure you can't. You're not getting out of practicing this time," she said, not believing him. But for the first time since he'd had a Loftwing, he could tell that his bird wasn't in the Sky.

He felt a hard shove, and he was falling. Whistling for his Loftwing, he hoped that he was wrong. But his bird never showed.

"Oh Goddess! Link!" Zelda yelled, realizing her mistake before jumping off the platform and calling her own bird. She caught on to the decorative chain on its neck and nosedived to catch Link. The bird caught him in its claw and she brought them back up to the safety of Skyloft.

When they hopped onto the ground, Link was panting for breath, more than a little surprised to find that, despite his empty feeling, his Loftwing hadn't come to his rescue as it always had.

"I'm sorry for pushing you so hard, friend," Zelda said, stroking the feathers of her Loftwing.

Link let out a laugh that bubbled with nervous energy. "Oh, not me? You pushed me pretty hard there."

She turned to him and grabbed his arm in apology. "I'm so sorry, Link. I should have believed you."

Link squeezed her hand before gently pushing her off him with a pointed look at her father. "It's fine."

Gaepora peered into the Sky. "It's unheard of for a Loftwing to ignore its rider completely. You can't sense it at all? And yet, the Wing Ceremony is about to start."

"Convenient," Zelda muttered, looking around. "You know this has Groose written all over it!"

"What could he do?" Link asked, brushing some grass from his leg.

"Let's go ask him," she said, crossing her arms. "We'll split up."

Gaepora nodded. "You do that. I'll go speak to Instructor Horwell to see if we can delay the ceremony. Hurry up, you two."

They raced down the stairs, and Zelda noticed Karane walking just outside the Academy. "Go on, I'll see if Karane knows anything."

Link hurried down the steps of the Academy and towards the square. People had already gathered, and it was the easiest way to ask several people at once. Though, no one seemed to know a thing. That is, until three familiar voices reached his ears.

"That's a nasty scratch, Groose," Link heard from off to the side. He turned to see Stritch and Cawlin hovering around Groose.

"Yeah, yeah, you got pecked real good!" Cawlin laughed, only to receive a dirty look from Groose.

"What, did you think that taking down a Loftwing is an easy thing to do? I earned these scratches. But we got him, and he's not getting out of that pen anytime soon. No one will hear it, and Link will be out."

Link hurried over, fuming. It took every single ounce of willpower not to hit him then and there. "Where's my Loftwing?"

Groose scoffed. "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen your bird, and if you're here to ask me to throw the race for you just so you can score some alone time with Zelda for the ceremony, you've got another thing coming."

"My. Loftwing."

"Is it even yours though? You were so scared of them before, you and your stupid dopey-eyed stare looked like you'd die just by standing near it. And all of a sudden, you have a bird all your own and you think you're going to win? Are you cheating? Or better yet, did you spend all those years just pretending to be afraid, thinking it would throw us off our game?"

Link tried to move around them, but all three moved to block his path. "Yes Groose, I spent years of my life avoiding Loftwings just to fool you."

Groose ignored him as if he hadn't said a word. "That scruffy-looking bird probably flew out of here when it realized it had such a loser for a rider."

Link crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Nice hair, Groose. You sure you're not competing today with the Loftings instead of us?"

Groose shoved Link. "Lay off my do, Link, or I'll flatten you! Today's my day with Zelda, and dopes like you are ruining the good name of our Academy!"

"Hey!" Zelda called, hurrying over. "Do you want to say that again, Groose?"

Groose's eyes widened, absolutely smitten with her appearance as he stuttered. "Oh, Zelda… Hey… it's, uh… nah…"

Zelda barreled through Link and got her finger right in Groose's face. Despite the massive height difference, Zelda was frightening. "You listen to me, Groose, I've had enough of you. You're annoying, and you're a bully, and if you even think for one second that you have a chance of beating Link today with your dismal scores, you've got another thing coming. We will not be having that ceremony together. Get that through your thick skull and back off!"

Link fought back a grin as he looked at Zelda. Unfortunately, the one who couldn't hide their obviously smitten expression was Groose. His eyes were wide and boring into Zelda's with unabashed adoration. And it was quite clear that her words did something other than frighten him.

But he noticed Link in the corner of his eye and scoffed. "Forget it. Come on, boys," he said to Cawlin and Stritch as they hopped off the platform and onto their Loftwings.

Zelda rolled her eyes and turned back to Link. "What?" she asked, when she saw his expression.

"Oh, nothing I can say around all these people," he laughed.

She felt her face heat up and bit her lip. "Yeah, maybe don't. I'm going to circle Skyloft, see if I can see anything. I'll meet up with you, okay?"

"Okay," he said, watching her jump onto her bird.

He looked around Skyloft, searching for any signs of his bird… a feather, a noise, a feeling. He found nothing. Hurrying back to the Academy, he nearly crashed into Pipit and Fledge.

"Perfect! I was just coming to ask for your help!"

"No need," Pipit said with a grin. "I've already helped. Tell him, Fledge."

"I'm so sorry, Link. Groose saw me and threatened to hurt me and that I'd never be able to ride again if I told you… but I can't keep quiet! They're hiding your bird near the waterfall."

"Through the cave?"

"Yeah."

Link scoffed. "My favorite place."

Pipit nodded towards the Sparring Hall. "Ask Master Eagus to borrow a sword. It's not like you don't know how to use it. You can take care of those Keese, unlike last time."

"Okay," Link said, hurrying into the hall.

Eagus was practicing in his ceremonial armor when he looked up at the sound of the door. "Link, I just heard about your Loftwing. Horwell told me we were delaying the ceremony."

"You were going to be the spotter, right? Did you see anything?"

Eagus shook his head. "Sorry. I've been in here preparing before heading out. What can I do?"

"I need a sword. I have to go into the cave. I think I know where Groose trapped my Loftwing."

"Go, but be careful. You haven't graduated yet, and it's a big violation on my part to let you leave with that!"

"I'll be careful," Link said, pulling the training sword from the wall and tying the sheath across his belt.

Link headed out and ran to the waterfall, feeling a familiar twinge in his chest the closer he got. His bird was here.

"Link!" Zelda called. "I can't see anything!"

"It's in here," he called back, gesturing to the cave.

Zelda hopped off her Loftwing and landed gracefully beside Link. "I'll come. You might need a lock picked."

"Ha," he muttered and took out the sword. He pushed past the blockage to the entrance and helped Zelda through, entering the cold cave for the second time ever.

"I don't miss it here," Zelda whispered, careful not to attract the Keese she knew all too well lived inside.

They hopped off the small ledge, landing with a soft thump. A flutter of wings echoed off the walls. Zelda stepped back. "It's all you."

He snorted and waited for the Keese to reach him, keeping an easy grip on his sword.

In a few swings of his sword, he watched the Keese drop to the ground. "Much better than last time. And easier than I thought."

"Your first time killing them, right?" Zelda asked, moving up beside him. He nodded, and she went to say something, but was quickly interrupted by her own disgusted cry.

"Ugh! Link! Get it off!"

He looked at her feet where a ChuChu was materializing, taking the remains of the Keese inside of it. However, it also thought Zelda was fair game.

Link jammed his sword down into the ChuChu and watched it destabilize with a splatter.

"Ugh! I hate those things!" she muttered, having encountered one or two in Skyloft in the nighttime. "You're slow to react, Link. You need to work on that."

He scoffed as she kept walking. "Well excuse me, Princess!" He hurried to catch up with her and took out several more Keese and ChuChus before reaching a wall.

Sheathing his sword, he ran straight at the wall using his speed to push off and grab the edge. Once he pulled himself up, he hoisted Zelda up as well. She brushed off her dress and watched Link for a moment. "I don't see anything in here. No cage, not even another path."

"Me either. But I can still feel it. We're close."

"What's left inside this cave?"

"I don't know," he admitted, and they both continued forward until they saw a bright light.

"Wait," Zelda gasped, grabbing Link's arm to stop him. The force she'd used to grab his arm made his jump. His sword was out and ready, but he saw nothing. Zelda spun. "What was that? Who's there?"

Link looked around, met with nothing but the running sound of water and the distant flap of Keese wings. "I don't hear anything," he admitted, looking around again.

"I thought I heard… someone calling for me." She took a breath and let go of Link. "I'm sorry, this place must just be freaking me out. Let's go find your Loftwing."

"Okay," he said, looking around one more time before following the light onto a long, thin stretch of land. They made their way across, the feeling inside Link growing stronger.

"Link! There!" she called, rushing forward. His Crimson Loftwing was struggling, cawing and screeching, behind several boarded up planks that kept his bird trapped in an alcove that was all too small for the poor creature. Link ran forward and sliced the sword through the ropes as quickly as he could, watching each plank drop to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Thank the Goddess," Zelda muttered.

Link wrapped his arms around the bird's neck before backing away, letting it come out on its own and stretch its wings in relief. "I thought I lost you."

The Loftwing flicked Link's hair with its beak and screeched happily. Link ran his hand across its beak a few times, laughing as the bird seemed to rejoice at its reclaimed freedom. It took off, all too excited to feel the wind in its wings once again. Link and Zelda rushed to the edge to watch as it flew around in circles, continuing to caw out happily. Zelda's own Loftwing flew down and joined in the celebration, and the two excited birds made several circles around the other.

"We should go," Zelda said, though she couldn't take her eyes off the Loftwings. They looked like they'd been reunited after years apart.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Link asked, noticing her expression. "They'll be happy to fly out of here."

"It's not that. I… I feel like… Link. Are you hearing anything? Like a voice?" He shook his head, and let her continue. "It happens a lot to me now, but it started in my dreams. It's like someone calls out to me, but I can never find them. It sounds so real, and it's so scary that no one else can hear it. But at the same time… it's not frightening at all. Does that make any sense?"

She paused and took a breath, not really wanting an answer to that question and continuing to speak before he could offer an answer. "Do you ever wonder what's beneath the clouds? We're told that there's nothing… that the clouds are the end. Some of the books I've studied said that there's a hard, barren land where nothing can thrive. But I don't know… I think they're wrong. I think that there's a surface below that is more than dead land. And I want to prove it. More than that… I want to see it."

She paused again and her eyes widened. "Goddess! What am I thinking! We don't have time for this! Get on your bird, Link! We have to get going."

Hurrying off the edge, they both let their Loftwings catch them before circling Skyloft to land in the main square. They hurried to meet the Instructors in the square, but were met by the stone wall that is Groose.

"So, you got your little birdy back? Well, you missed the pre-race warmups, so at least there's that. Today's the day I bust up this adorable little fantasyland you're living in. You won't be the hero today." He turned to Zelda with a smile. "I'll be the one pulling off all the dangerous moves."

"Go," Zelda said, urging Link to keep moving. She stared Groose down, challenging him to even try to stop Link.

"Instructor Owlan!" Link said, pushing through the crowd.

Owlan sighed. "Good, get to your place!" He turned to the rest of the onlookers. "This year's Wing Ceremony is set to begin!" He waited until the four boys were lined up. "Riders, GO!"

Link pushed off his feet as quickly as he could before jumping off the platform. The wind hit his face as he called for his Loftwing, feeling it respond immediately. He grabbed hold and soared up into the sky, much higher than the other three competitors.

Watching the Golden Loftwing for a moment, he sent his Loftwing into a hard nosedive, one that physically hurt Link's face from the harsh slaps of wind on his skin. He pulled up just in front of Groose, and turned with a smirk to see that he still had a safe distance between them. He reached out for the statuette, feeling the base of it on the tips of his finger, when he was jerked off to the side, nearly sliding off his bird.

He repositioned himself, only to duck a moment later as something flew past his head.

"Go!" he whispered, spurring his Loftwing on. He quickly overtook Strich and was riding side-by-side with Cawlin.

Cawlin swerved his bird to the side, knocking into Link with a harsh jolt. But instead of retaliating, Link urged his Loftwing up, the wind knocking Cawlin off balance.

Just behind Groose now, Link pushed downwards again, cutting Groose off by the smallest of margins. Link looked back, certain that Groose was about to do _something_. He felt something move past his head, some object. He turned, seeing Groose prepared to throw another, and barrel-rolled off to the side with his Loftwing before picking up the pace yet again. Only this time, it was enough.

He grabbed the statuette in his hand and held it up for all to see, letting out a long whoop in excitement before attaching it by the hook to his belt as he neared Skyloft.

"Link!" he heard just before seeing Zelda jump off the platform. He urged his Loftwing forward and held out his hands, ready to catch her. He held her tight, though he and his Loftwing were pushed off balance by the sudden weight change.

"Great flying, Link! Congratulations!" she said, moving closer to him. She looked around, realizing she'd never ridden a Loftwing like this before, in front of the rider. It wasn't the most comfortable way to ride, but she didn't mind feeling Link's hand on her back, keeping her from sliding off. She laughed, giddy with excitement still and pointed to the Goddess Statue. "Come on! Let's hold the ceremony."

Link and Zelda hopped off his Loftwing once they reached the top, and Zelda held out her hand. "Give me the Bird Statuette you just won. I have to offer it to the Goddess."

Link unclipped it and handed it over. She looked at it, inspecting its handiwork before placing it in the small alcove meant for the offers. She took out her harp and began to strum the notes she'd learned so well, and when she was done, she turned to Link.

"Kneel."

He smirked and bent onto one knee, relaxing his arms over his kneecap. He peered up at her with hooded eyes and she shook her head, licking her lips nervously.

"Stop looking at me like that. We're in the middle of a ceremony."

"Like what?" he asked with a laugh.

"Like… like I'm the Goddess or something."

"So," Link said slowly, never changing his easy posture or the smoldering look in his eyes, "I can't look at you with a look of utter devotion and awe that one would give the Goddess?"

She scoffed. "You're making fun of me. Just stay on your knees so I can do this."

"Gladly."

She turned to him, shaking her head as he fought back a laugh.

"Take my hand, Link. And no comments!"

He grinned and took her incredibly soft hand that she'd extended. He bowed his head, hoping it would help her, because he didn't look at her any specific way on purpose.

"Great Goddess," Zelda started, "Guiding light and protector of our people, grant us your blessing and mercy as I act in your stead during this ceremony. Valiant youth who grasped victory at the celebration of the bird folk… in accordance with the old ways… I now bestow the blessings of the Goddess upon you."

He could hear the rustle of fabric and looked up to see her folding the white shawl she'd been wearing before handing it over to him.

"The blessings of the Goddess drift down from the heavens aloft a sail, which I now pass on to you." She lifted his hand, gesturing for him to take his feet.

He examined the sailcloth. "It smells nice."

Zelda scoffed and hit him lightly in the arm. "Quit goofing. This is supposed to be a _sacred_ ceremony, remember?" She took a step closer. "You know, they say that the Goddess gave the sailcloth to her chosen hero long ago. And I'm really glad I got to be the one to give it to you. Make sure you take care of it, okay?"

Link nodded. Despite all his joking, he was unable to find words to convey just how much it truly meant to him to be up here.

"Thank you for keeping your promise. I wanted to do this with you… no one else. Anyway, we should finish up this ritual."

She moved closer, way into his personal bubble. He glanced down at the crowd that had moved from the square and gave her a skeptical look. He could feel his heart racing. She couldn't possibly mean… had he really not paid attention in the Academy?

Zelda grinned, "Just what are you thinking happens, Link? This is your big moment. The anniversary race is held atop this statue for a reason. And I gave you a functional sailcloth… for a reason. You have to jump off the statue!" She spun him around and squeezed him as they both peered down.

"I… what?"

"How brave did you say you were? Are you going to try and impress me like Groose would have?"

"Do I still need to impress you?" Link joked, looking over the edge. "I can't believe I have to-"

He felt Zelda's hard shove and heard her raucous laughter from above him as he fell towards the ground. The fall was long, and he had plenty of time to take out the sailcloth. It worked far better than he'd thought, slowing his fall to nearly nothing.

Zelda rode down beside him on her Loftwing. "That was perfect. You're... amazing, Link."

He looked around at the cheering crowd and took a step closer to her, feeling a desperate need to get out of their prying gaze. "Was that a compliment… in public?"

Her face turned red and she grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the crowd as they began to disperse. "Listen… seeing as how you won today… and with the weather being so nice… you think you'd like to, you know, fly around the clouds together?"

He chuckled, grabbing at the back of his neck. "You want to go on a date? In the Sky? During the day? Where people can see?"

"You won. It's a celebration to everyone else. To us… it's maybe a little more."

"I think I'd like that," he said softly. To anyone with eyes, it was clear that they didn't just have a friendship. And the more time they spent together, the easier it was to recognize.

He held out his hand, daring Zelda to take it or to make a joke to get out of it, but to his surprise, she locked her fingers in his and walked over to her Loftwing. Link's Crimson one joined them before both took off to the Sky.

And neither of them noticed Gaepora watching the entire exchange.

They flew around together for a time before Link could hear Zelda calling him. He flew closer to her so he could hear better.

She was blushing. "Today was amazing. Watching you win the race and performing the ritual together… I'll always remember this. It really was wonderful." She flew closer still, feeling the racing of her heart at her resolve to confess something she'd known in her heart for some time. "Link, there's something I've been meaning to tell you…"

But she never got to finish her thought.

She let out a gasp as a harsh light appeared just before a massive, dark cloud of dirt and darkness appeared just in front of them.

"Pull up!" Link called, turning to her.

Zelda bounced down against her Loftwing, desperately trying to turn her bird away from the storm. "No!" she yelped, feeling her Loftwing's strength wane as they began to be pulled further into the vortex. Her Loftwing careened onto its side, flapping its wings with all its might.

She could see Link diving for her, headed straight into the storm to even get close. But Zelda let out a scream as her hand slipped and she found herself plummeting into the storm.

Link drove his bird harder, hearing her calling out his name through her screams. "Zelda!" he called out more than once, feeling the rocks and biting wind hitting him in the face as he tried to follow.

But the storm cast him out with a hard force, far away from its center, and he could only feel himself falling.

* * *

"_Link?"_

_A bright light was above him, beckoning him. "I am waiting for you," it said, inviting him in. _

_The figure took a shape, still enticing him forward. But then, the shape turned into Zelda, and they were both falling. He reached for her, and she for him, but their fingers never touched as she plummeted into the teeth of a dark demon._

He sat up with a start, clutching his side and stumbling immediately to his feet.

A pair of strong arms caught him and held him steady. "When you Loftwing carried you back unconscious, I feared the worst."

Link pushed Gaepora's arms away and stumbled for the door. "Zelda…"

"What happened? Where's my daughter?"

"She… a black tornado appeared from nowhere and she… she… fell through the cloud-"

Link couldn't finish, a dark realization dawning over him. His legs gave out and he collapsed back onto his bed. No one made it through the cloud barrier alive.

Gaepora covered his mouth in shock.

Link felt a paralyzing sensation tearing at him and he bit his lip, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes. "She… I have to..."

"No. No, Link. You must stay right where you are. We'll send Knights. Her Loftwing wasn't to be seen. If she's with her Loftwing, she is still safe."

"I have to be there. I have to help look for her," he tried, even though he'd seen her fall into the center of a massive, dark tornado. His brain wrestled between two ideas: he hadn't seen her fly off to safety, or she wasn't safe at all. And he knew which idea he wanted to cling to.

Gaepora shook his head. "It's dark. The trained Knights will handle this. Get some rest… while you can."

Link heard Gaepora shut his door, but Link had lost all sense of… well… everything.

Zelda couldn't be dead. She had her Loftwing. But he'd seen it… the tornado came up from the cloud barrier and had swallowed her down where no bird could fly.

"Oh Goddess," Link muttered, stifling a sob. No, she couldn't be dead. He couldn't lose her. Not her.

Link stumbled into the door and out into the hallway, crashing into everything in his path. He didn't remember walking. He didn't remember Skyloft. But he somehow found himself on the edge, staring out where the massive tornado had appeared, and he sank to his knees. Time passed differently. Like it moved all at once, and never at all.

"Link," he heard, though it wasn't the voice he wanted to hear. It was Pipit, and he all but skidded beside Link. "Gaepora told me. Link, Goddess, what can I do?"

Turning to Pipit, bleary eyed and still dumbstruck, he shook his head. "Is she... dead?"

"I don't know," Pipit admitted.

"She can't be," Link said, his voice cracking, covering his mouth and composing himself before continuing. "She was out there because of me. I've lost two people to the cloud barrier, but this time, I'm the one who did it to her. I should have been faster. I should have..."

"You can't do that to yourself" Pipit said, shaking his arm encouragingly. "She could be alive. Maybe she's hurt, and she can't get to her Loftwing. That's bad, but it's not dead, and the Knights will find her tomorrow."

"What if she went through the clouds."

"She didn't. She'll be fine."

"No," Link muttered. "She went _through _the clouds. If she did, I have to find her."

Pipit shook Link hard this time. "The cloud barrier is suicide, Link. I know how much she means to you, but that helps no one. She didn't go through it."

"She's been talking about the surface. Maybe..."

"No, Link. No one survives that. You can't consider that... not even for her."

"I love her, Pip." Link let out a long breath into his hand and shook his head. "I love her."

Pipit didn't say anything for a long moment. He watched every emotion play off Link's face. For the briefest moment, Link laughed, and a smile took over, but it was quickly replaced by a look of horror. A realization that came too late.

Pipit squeezed Link's shoulder. "We'll find her."

"I need a minute," Link said, shrugging Pipit off, taking another breath. Breathing became something he needed to consciously think about.

"Of course. I'll be in the Academy if you need me. I have to go tell Karane."

Link nodded, waiting to hear the silence again. He wanted nothing more than for Zelda to pop up behind him, to break it, or to laugh. He wanted to feel her put her freezing hands on his neck just to watch him jump. He wanted to hold her hand one more time.

Goddess, what was the last thing she laughed at? What was the last time he'd heard her laugh, or cry? What was her last sentence, the one she never got to finish?

He buried his head into his arm, needing nothing more than to scream. It was as muffled as the fabric on his sleeve would allow, and it didn't make him feel any better once he let it out.

"Goddess Hylia," he muttered, so soft that he could barely hear his own voice. "I don't ask you for much, but if you could, find her. Please, Goddess, please… don't let her be dead."

But, as if there were a response, there was a brush of wind on the back of his neck, like a voice that was too close.

He spun, hoping to see her, but there was nothing… nothing but a faint blue light in the distance. Feeling his feet move without permission, he found himself following the faint light up the steps to the Goddess statue, and down the small ladders off to the side that led down to a few viewing platforms some stood on for a better view of the Sky.

The light ducked behind a cliff edge, and Link feared he'd gone crazy, following nothing through the night. But he saw a small finger-hold, just enough of the above ledge jutting out that he could worm his way around the edge. The light kept moving until it crossed a large gap.

Link looked around, seeing one Knight in the distance. If he fell… he sure hoped that Knight would find him, because that was a long fall… but then again, maybe he'd land right where Zelda was. Maybe that's where this light was leading. Or maybe he'd just die when he hit the barrier.

Steeling himself, he ran at the edge, barely making the jump across. He pulled himself up and climbed a few more ledges before making another long jump and clinging to a wall of vines as he pulled himself up. For all his years on this small island, he had no idea where he was. The Goddess Statue stood before him, though it was the opposite side from the one facing Skyloft. And he followed around the side to watch the light meld into the stone.

Out of breath from the climb, he held his knees. All for nothing.

And then the wall disappeared, leaving a doorway for him to follow.

It was the oddest thing, but something inside him didn't question it. He just… went inside. To his shock, there was a room, complete with lights, painstaking etchings, the Goddess symbol, and a sword stuck in a pedestal. The light appeared again, emanating from the sword, and stood before him, taking the shape of a girl.

She began to mumble, some strange, ancient language that Link didn't understand. But as soon as her words reached him, he understood, as if he'd once spoken the language himself a lifetime ago.

"The one chosen by my creator. I have been waiting for you. You will play a role in a great destiny. According to your social customs, I should provide you with my personal designation. I am referred to as Fi, and was created for a single purpose, long before the recorded memory of your people. I must aid you in fulfilling the great destiny that is your burden to carry."

The girl, Fi, looked behind her at the light blue sword. "Come, Link," she said, still in her strange language. "You must take up this sword. As the one chosen by my creator, it is your destiny. The strange dreams that have been plaguing you. My appearance. The uncertain fate surrounding the one you hold most dear. It is only logical that you are experiencing apprehension. But let me provide you with information that may elicit a desirable emotion from you. The one you seek, the honorable Zelda, is still alive."

Link gasped. What in the Goddess' realm was happening? And was any of it true?

"This spirit maiden… the one you call Zelda… is another chosen one fated to be part of this same great mission. Therefore, if you should wish to meet with her again, I highly recommend taking up this sword before setting out to search for her."

Link didn't realize how fast he'd moved until he fount his hand on the hilt of the blade. If there was a chance… even a chance that this light creature was telling the truth…

"Further persuasive measures do not seem necessary. Draw this sword and raise it skyward."

Link pulled it from the rock with surprising ease, and lifted it to the sky. The blade shimmered, absorbing the light from above and shimmering with a faint glow. Link stared at it, awed.

"Recognition complete, Master. Link...my Master"

Staring at the sword, the girl, the room, Link couldn't speak. Thankfully, he didn't need to."

"Link…" Gaepora's voice called. Link spun to see him staring wide-mouthed at him. "So it's true. I've had my suspicions, but until now, I wasn't sure. Yet here we stand in the foretold location where the youth of legend would appear. This place was left to us by the Goddess herself, and the knowledge of this room's existence is held by very few. Upon my death, Zelda would have been the next keeper of this information. We learn a handful of words… words that we are meant to pass along: _When the light of the Goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred._

"Days ago, this sword began to glow in an otherworldly light, though I wrote it off as my imagination. The prophecy wouldn't happen in my lifetime… yet here we stand and the words I have protected my whole life are occurring before my eyes. _The youth will be guided by one born of the blade- one who is also youthful in likeness yet wise with knowledge immeasurable. _

Fi appeared to ponder this, though her expression and vocal intonation remained unchanged. "Oral tradition has not succeeded in keeping the prophecy in its entirety. _The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the Goddess's chosen hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit. He shall be burdened with the task of abolishing the shadow of apocalypse from the land. Such is his destiny. With the spirit of the blade at his side, he shall soar over the clouds and plummet below and reunited with the spirit maiden, shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land."_

Link gasped again, still trying to take it all in. "She's alive… and on the surface? She... the cloud barrier? She made it through alive?"

"This information is correct, Master."

Gaepora stumbled over his words. While he cared for his daughter, he also viewed Link, in many ways, like a son. "Link, if you do this, you will have to pierce the cloud barrier. None in living memory have done this. I don't even know how my daughter did. You could be killed."

"Correction," Fi said, stopping Gaepora. "This is a tablet gifted by the Goddess. It will illuminate a path safely through the cloud barrier. Illuminate the tablet with the skyward strike when it is on the altar, and the way forward shall appear to you."

Link raised his sword, knowing immediately what it was that he needed to do, as if a deep-rooted instinct had taken hold of him. He felt the power within the sword charge up, and he struck it down, sending a great beam of energy at the Goddess's symbol just above the tablet.

"It is done, Master. There is a path through the cloud barrier that will lead to the realm below."

Link gasped as the girl disappeared in a flurry of sparks that all absorbed into his sword. He stared at it for a moment before turning to Gaepora.

"What..." he stared at the blade, breathless. But a talking sword said Zelda was alive, and he believed it. He had to. He felt like maybe it was the fresh pain of losing her, or the realization all too late just how much he loved her. Maybe it was the talking sword that just made him crazy, but he had to believe it. She had to be alive. There was no world worth living in without her. Without her, he'd just _exist, _the better half of him lost below the clouds forever.

"Link, I don't know what dangers you will face below the clouds. No texts I have speak of the apocalypse. But Zelda is down there, and she is alive. Please, Link, you must succeed… and you must bring her back to me." He hesitated. "If you care for her the way I think you might... you can't fail, Link. You can't."

The weight of every task began to press down on him, threatening to crush him. Link swallowed hard and shook his head, clutching the sword in his hand tighter. "I won't stop until I've found her. Zelda's…" He stopped himself. Zelda was more to him than words could ever describe.

"I won't fail. I _will_ find her... no matter what it might cost me."

* * *

_A/N: Oh noo! Only an Epilogue left! Well, guess what? I now have four chapters done of a post-game sequel! If that's something that interests you, creep around in the next few weeks or I think you might get notified if you follow me (that's not a plug for followers, I swear!)? Anyway, I'm going to get a few more chapters done early to make sure I don't need to change things around, then I'll post it at some point, I'd say within 3 weeks because I have something else I have to get done by then._

_Reviews: Clemage: I literally love them! Hahah! Queen Emily the Diligent: Honestly, same! I'm feeling really sad this one is done!_


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue (Age 18)**

_Link stared down into the Sealed Grounds, watching Ghirahim raise Zelda into the air, floating limp and nearly lifeless, though he could still see her fight to live, writhing in pain. Hordes of monsters wouldn't stop him. There was _nothing _that could stop him. No barrier, no spirit, no shield or sword. _

"_You're far too quick, boy."_

_Floating as he was, a single misstep against the demonic blade would send both him and Zelda to their doom. He could feel the demon's arm strike down against him, hard and sharp as a blade's edge. _

_Zelda's screams as a dark beast clawed its way from the ground… terror, pain… he'd never forget those sounds. _

Sitting up with a start, feeling at his bare chest for any sign of injury with heavy breaths. His hand burned with the fierceness of a lightning strike, the pain of a memory. Link looked around in a panic. No, he was safe. Tired, but safe.

He looked down at his chest, seeing the littering of scars that he'd accumulated after several months on the Surface. It was far more than he ever thought he'd have after training to become a Knight. He thought maybe he'd step wrong and hit his head while on patrol and find himself with one decent scar. More likely from a sparring match, but nothing more dramatic than that. Eagus had one that ran down the length of his arm for a time that he'd slipped and dug into a rock as he fell. But nothing like this. After the monsters he'd faced, he was actually surprised he didn't have _more_.

He clenched and unclenched his fist, looking over at the sword by his bed. It didn't speak to him the way Fi had… it was just a sword. But he felt relieved that it was near. No matter how peaceful things were, he would never felt safe at night without it close by.

He slid off his bed and rested his head in his hands. Nothing felt right anymore.

Throwing on a loose shirt from a pile near his wardrobe that covered the majority of his scars, he opened the door and stepped into the Academy's hallway, taking slow, deliberate steps as he made his way up the stairs and outside. The door was surprisingly unlocked. The air was cold, and the world was… small.

He took a few steps and turned around, unsurprised to see Zelda standing just at the edge of the roof above him, her face tilted up to the light breeze, oblivious to his presence. She was the locksmith of the two of them, and she was more than adept at breaking open the locked second floor door. He should have known immediately that it was her.

"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked, not bothering to wait for her to notice that she wasn't alone.

She shook her head, hugging her arms as she continued to stare up at the Sky. "I see things in my dreams now. Things that I know were real. It makes it a little more difficult to ignore them. I see you die."

In a swift motion, Link grabbed the edge of the roof and pulled himself up, standing so he was just in beside her. Lightly, he pulled her hand from her crossed arms and turned her towards him, placing her hand over his chest where she could feel his heart beating. "I'm not dead."

He knew from his own nightmares that everything could feel real, as if they were still in the moment. For him, it took something concrete to snap him out of it. His healing scars. The sword by his bed. Breathing deep in the cool air and letting it ride through his raw, dry lungs.

It did calm Zelda slightly. Focusing on Link, on his living pulse, she had to keep her eyes open to force back the memories that were now hers, or... had always been hers. It was still overwhelming her, and there were times she couldn't differentiate Hylia's pain from her own. She knew Link wasn't dead, but she could still feel the harsh heartbreak of his sacrifice for Hylia all those years ago. Hylia had seen him die, not Zelda. Only Link understood. Though he didn't have another's memories, he had another's spirit. Zelda's words made enough sense to him that he understood her in a way no one else could ever come close to.

"Link," Zelda said nervously. "I need to talk to you about something. I… I have to go back."

"To the Surface," Link filled in, letting go of her hand.

"Yes. I want to live there. I want to feel solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head, and watch over the Triforce. When I first sent my people to the Sky, it was just to protect them from Demise. He's gone. It's time to return home. The people are used to being in the clouds, but we belong on the Surface. And that's the choice I'm going to make. I'm returning. But you still have a choice, and I won't presume to know it, though I hope… I want y... do you know what you'd do?"

Link needed a moment to take it all in, but not a moment to think. His decision had been made the moment he jumped through the cloud barrier the first time to get her back.

He bent down on one knee and bowed his head reverently. "If you'll have me, if you _want_ me to, I'd follow you anywhere."

Zelda smirked and bent in front of him. "Don't bow. I hope that to you, I'll always be just Zelda, not the Goddess Hylia."

His grin turned lopsided, and she knew something smug or absurd was about to come out of his mouth. She rolled her eyes before he could even speak, earning a wider grin from Link.

"I'd bow to you as the Goddess, but I'd also bow to you as Zelda."

She pushed his shoulder and snorted. "You're impossible."

"And you _are_ the Goddess. You can't deny a piece of who you are."

"I know. But I just want to be Zelda with you. The one who's known you for, Goddess what, eleven or twelve years now?"

He grabbed her and hoisted them both to their feet, pulling her up against him. He kissed her lips quickly before trailing feather-light kisses against her jaw. "Well, _just Zelda_?" he asked before kissing her lips again.

"Huh?" she asked, breathless. He laughed against her before pulling away.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Zelda let her fingers splay on the skin of his neck, one finger finding a soft bit of raised skin, a scar. "Yes, but you wouldn't be able to take the Outer Sky position. Pipit, Karane, Fledge… my father… they might not come with us. We could lose everyone we love. Is that something you're willing to do?"

He ran a finger along her cheek. "I wouldn't lose _everyone_ I love." Zelda leaned into him and waited, sensing he had more to say. Despite his use of a certain word she'd longed to hear, she grimaced when his face turned mischievous. and he started to chuckle. "Prepare yourself, this one will be my most romantic line yet. Ready?" he asked with a playful grin.

"Fine, I'm ready," she rolled her eyes and laughed.

Link kissed her so lightly, she wondered if she'd imagined it before he spoke. "If what Demise said is true and we're cursed to be reborn again and again, I'll find you in every lifetime, because I might just love you too much for this one alone."

Zelda beamed, though words failed her. "Lov...you... I..." she laughed and pulled him down to her, stopping just short of his lips. "How can I top that? You've been practicing these romantic lines on me for years."

"You don't have to top it. You can just let me win."

She shook her head, exasperated. "Link." But her mind went back to their conversation and her tone changed. "Link... you'd give everything up that you've worked for all these years. I told you I'd _never_ ask you to choose."

He closed his eyes and moved his forehead to hers. "Zelda. I guess I haven't made it _abundantly_ clear that I don't want to live in a world without you in it. I'm in love with you. Unless you don't want me to be aroun-"

"No," she interrupted quickly. "I want you around."

He smirked and continued. "If you want to live in Skyloft, I'm here. If you want to be on the Surface, let's do it. If you want to live on the tip-top of Eldin Volcano, I might fight you first, but I'd prepare to sweat it out if that's what you wanted. I'll gladly go anywhere with you, but is that something _you_ want too? If it is, I'm telling you right now... you can ask me to choose."

Zelda bit her lip with unhidden excitement at his response. "Will you come live on the Surface with me?"

His grin tilted up higher. "Mhmm," he hummed as he nodded against her.

She excitedly pressed her lips back to his before pulling away to get say something before she got lost in the moment. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about when we were flying together the day of the tornado. The day I was pulled to the Surface."

"I remember. I spent a long time trying to figure out what it could have been."

Zelda took a breath and let it go with a relieved laugh. "I wanted to tell you that I didn't just love you as a friend anymore, but that I was falling in love with you, and I didn't know if you were feeling the same. I didn't know how you'd take it. I didn't even know how to bring it up. But you just said it twice without even blinking." She laughed and threw her hands up, as if she'd made a big deal over nothing. "I shouldn't have been so worried, apparently."

He ran his hand through her hair. "Oh, I blinked the first few times I said it out loud, but I might have practiced a speech a over and over on a petrified robot or two when I couldn't find a timeshift stone."

"Was that your speech?"

He snickered. "No."

"Then, can I hear your speech?"

"Never," he laughed, kissing her again. It had become so easy between them to kiss each other, like it was the most natural thing in the world. As natural as talking, just a different form of communication that was meant only for them. Her fingers brushed his neck and he hummed, completely and utterly content.

When they pulled away, he had a dopey smile on his face that had Zelda giggling. "We're going to live on the Surface, Link. Together. Did you ever imagine that when we'd just met?" She stopped and her eyes widened, quickly changing to one of nerves. "Oh Goddess, we have to tell my father _everything_. We have to tell him we're both going to be leaving, and how long we've been together so he doesn't think we're absolutely insane-"

"He'll still think we're insane."

"-and then he'll question us both like we've committed some horrible crime. He'll throw himself in front of our Loftwings to stop us."

"Oof that will hurt," Link hissed, bringing her with him back the long way off the Academy roof. "Yeah, we didn't think of that, but he had to know eventually. Early tomorrow, I'll actually wake up and we'll tell him all of it together."

She groaned. "This might be the moment we kill him."

Link scoffed. "You can't possibly think he hasn't realized something is going on with us, at least on my end. I jumped through the cloud barrier to find you. I don't think it will surprise him too much to know where I stand." He grinned cheekily. "You, on the other hand, have either been hiding from him, or kidnapped by a soul-eating demon, so he hasn't gotten your side of the story."

"Ugh," she sighed. "Do you know how awkward it is to have to tell your father that you're madly in love with someone and that you've been secretly together for some time, and that you're now going to leave your Father to go live on the Surface with said man because you're the ancient Goddess reborn who was meant to watch over the legendary Triforce? Do you _know _how uncomfortable that conversation will be?"

"Nope," he said matter-of-factly as he opened the doors back to the Academy. "But I will definitely know tomorrow."

"You're a big help," she scoffed.

They stood outside her door, starting at Gaepora's room expectantly. Tomorrow would certainly be something, one way or another.

Link pressed her against her door and brushed her lips with a chaste kiss that left her reeling. "Good night."

"Wait," she said, grabbing his arm. "You know you don't have to go, right? You can stay with me." She watched his eyes glint, and she scoffed. "To sleep, Link."

He smirked and nudged her with his elbow. "I thought that was obvious. Where's _your_ mind at?"

"Shut up," she said, her face burning. She hit his arm, earning an amused chuckle from him as they went inside.

* * *

The standard Academy bed was incredibly small for the both of them to fit in.

They'd faced each other and talked for most of the night, catching up on things they hadn't had the time to say to each other. But eventually, they'd both gotten rather tired and felt their eyes drooping. Link welcomed Zelda's hand as it slid into his and pulled his arm over her waist, scooting closer to him and resting her head and arm against his chest. Though he thought he'd feel far more nervous to be this close to Zelda all night, it felt surprisingly natural and calming.

Sure, he'd stayed with her outside several times. They'd even woken up together. And he remembered her staying with him after the Leviathans, but they'd both been injured. This felt much different than that. It wasn't after a traumatizing afternoon, or a friendly gesture of comfort. It was surprisingly intimate, he'd realized, to wake up beside someone he'd just confessed his love to. After years of friendship, he'd almost expected this morning to be the same as any other, but it was distinctly different.

So, when his eyes crept open in the thin line of the rising sun through her window, he couldn't help but feel himself smile at her peaceful expression in his arms.

He was sore, realizing that he hadn't dared to move a muscle all night. Zelda hadn't moved too much either, laying on her back now, but with her head lolled against him and her hand resting against his arm that was draped across her waist.

More than a little shocked that he was the first to wake up, he didn't want to move. Instead, he let his eyes close again, listening to the even sounds of her breathing, the slow and steady rise and fall of their hands across her waist. Goddess, he wanted to wake up with her every morning.

And occurred to him that soon… they could.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, here's the last time you'll have to hear me (read me?) talking to the bottom of a page! This has been incredibly fun to write, and a really good way to be productive while in quarantine and I enjoyed writing it far more than I originally thought I would! Parts of this scene will be in the sequel, so it's just a tease. So, I've got this sequel that will be coming out very soon (maybe even next Sunday-ish, but with weekly posts rather than every two days) and yeah! I don't think I have anything else to say! I hope you enjoyed this to some degree and I'll maybe see (figuratively) some of you in the next one! I don't know how to respond to reviews after this chapter, but if you leave one, I definitely see you and I'm probably really happy but alas can't respond to you! _

_Last reviews (insert crying face here): Queen Emily the Diligent: Hahaha! Hope to see you there! Draegor: Thank you! I replayed the whole intro over and forgot just how much had been tutorial-related, so I'm glad changing it to fit this fic worked out well! I'll be looking at what it means for Zelda to also be Hylia and how it affects things. I brushed over it here, but I am definitely not going to just ignore that she's not entirely the same Zelda anymore. I'll see you there! Cosmo14: Your awkward talk 100% comes after this scene in the sequel! Hhahaha! Unfortunately, I couldn't find a good place for it in this first fic, but it fit well in the next one. The empty sky was definitely one of my favorite moments with them. Sorry not sorry, I can't resist my beloved cartoon reference! Yeah, four chapters in so far! I'm still working on notes, which is why I won't post them right away in case I have to change something, but I definitely can't see a long wait happening for that one! See you there!_


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